This website is home to the Washington State Workers’ Rights Manual and provides an easy overview of everyone’s Workplace Rights.
Workers’ Rights in the COVID-19 Era
COVID-19 Workers’ Rights Webinars – Washington workers have new rights and benefits to help us through the crisis. Join the Labor Center to learn more about applying for new programs. Registration is open to everyone. Language interpretation available. Pre-registration is required—an email address is required to register. Participants will receive invitations to future webinars and other educational events. https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_mlQN7W9USmOj1eZwmTs0pg
NEW! The whole series of the Labor Center’s Covid-19 webinars will be permanently available on our YouTube Channel using this link: Labor Center-YouTube-playlist. View recent webinars on:
- Paid Sick and Family Medical Leave Options
- Housing Security and the Eviction Moratorium
- How to sign up for Health Insurance
- Unemployment
Unemployment Resources/Links
- Unemployment Law Project
- Internet: http://unemploymentlawproject.org/covid-19/
- Spanish: http://unemploymentlawproject.org/wp-ontent/uploads/2017/01/Spanish.pdf
- Webinars every Monday at 12:00 https://us02web.zoom.us/j/729993431
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UnemploymentLawProject
- FAQ Immigrant Workers’ Rights and COVID19: https://www.nelp.org/publication/faq-immigrant-workers-rights-and-covid-19/
- Employment Security Dept. (ESD) Info Sheet on COVID 19
- National Employment Law Project
- Immigrant Workers Access to Unemployment in English https://bit.ly/2QYA89d
- Immigrant Workers Access to Unemployment in Spanish: https://s27147.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/SPANISH_Immigrant-Workers-Eligibility-Unemployment-Insurance.pdf
Other COVID-19 Resources
- WA State Labor Council
- COVID-19 Resource Guide: https://www.wslc.org/covid-19/ English and Espanol
- Help for Working Families: https://www.wslc.org/ffwf
- Department of Health COVID-19 information
- English: https://www.doh.wa.gov/Emergencies/Coronavirus
- Spanish: https://www.doh.wa.gov/Emergencies/NovelCoronavirusOutbreak2020COVID19/CoronavirusSpanish
- Dept. of Health Workplace COVID-19 Fact Sheet/Resources COVID-19/Workplace
- COVID-19 Relief Fund for WA Undocumented Folks
- Apply for help: https://www.scholarshipjunkies.org/relief
- Spanish Language Helpline:
- Call the WA Immigrant Solidarity Network Hotline for up to date information for immigrants about your rights and help available with basic needs and workers’ rights during the time of the coronavirus. Call 844-724-3737 every day. Volunteers speak Spanish and English and will find support in other languages.
Llame a la Linea Directa de la Red de Solidaridad de Inmigrantes de Washington para información para inmigrantes sobre sus derechos y ayuda disponible con los necesidades básicos y los derechos de los trabajadores en la época de la coronavirus, Llame a 844-724-3737 todos los dias. Las voluntarias hablan inglés y español y encontrará ayuda en otros ideomas. https://www.facebook.com/CasaLatinaNonprofit/
- Call the WA Immigrant Solidarity Network Hotline for up to date information for immigrants about your rights and help available with basic needs and workers’ rights during the time of the coronavirus. Call 844-724-3737 every day. Volunteers speak Spanish and English and will find support in other languages.
- WA Immigrant Solidarity Network (WAISN)
- Call the WA Immigrant Solidarity Network Hotline for up to date information for immigrants about your rights and help available with basic needs and workers’ rights during the time of the coronavirus. Call 844-724-3737 every day. Volunteers speak Spanish and English and will find support in other languages.
Llame a la Linea Directa de la Red de Solidaridad de Inmigrantes de Washington para información para inmigrantes sobre sus derechos y ayuda disponible con los necesidades básicos y los derechos de los trabajadores en la época de la coronavirus, Llame a 844-724-3737 todos los dias. Las voluntarias hablan inglés y español y encontrará ayuda en otros ideomas. - Internet: https://www.waisn.org
- Phone: (800) 844-724-3737
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WAimmigrantsolidaritynetwork/
For information on your rights to paid sick leave, paid family medical leave, unemployment and workers’ compensation, see our Basic Rights #1 and #2 above.
- Call the WA Immigrant Solidarity Network Hotline for up to date information for immigrants about your rights and help available with basic needs and workers’ rights during the time of the coronavirus. Call 844-724-3737 every day. Volunteers speak Spanish and English and will find support in other languages.
Every year, thousands of workplace violations go unaddressed.
Use this site to make sure your rights are not being violated.
Here are your
5 basic rights in Washington
In Washington state, you have five basic rights as a worker. Click on the individual rights below for more information.
1) You have the right to be paid
Your rights to a minimum wage, tips, prevailing wage, overtime, rest breaks and scheduling. What you need to know about termination and unemployment. What to do about wage theft.
2) You have the right to take care of yourself & your family
Your rights to Sick and Safe Leave, Family, Pregnancy and other Leaves, Workers’ Compensation when injured on the job, and Disability when unable to work.
3) You have the right to be free of discrimination
Laws that protect workers from discrimination in the workplace, including who is protected and how to file discrimination complaints. How to respond to sexual harassment in the workplace.
4) You have the right to be safe at work
Your rights to a safe workplace, in the workplace, employer and employee safety responsibilities, how to enforce workplace safety, and workplace safety for undocumented workers.
5) You have the right to organize
A Voice on the Job Leads to a Better Job. How workers can organize together to improve conditions at work through a union or other organization.
Updates
Here are selected sections of the manual that have undergone recent updates.
COVID-19: Your Rights@Work
For information on your rights to paid sick leave, paid family medical leave, unemployment and workers’ compensation, see our Basic Rights #1 and #2 above. The external links below also have important information about other programs and resources you might need:
Washington Department of Health Workplace COVID-19 Fact Sheet and Resources COVID-19/Workplace
Washington State Labor Council COVID-19 Resources for Workers
COVID-19 Outbreak Resources AFL-CIO COVID-19 Resources
Teamsters COVID-19 Emergency Resources Guide: https://www.teamsters117.org/covid19
WA Employment Security’s COVID Unemployment Resource Page: https://esd.wa.gov/newsroom/covid-19
Paid Family Leave
Paid Family and Medical Leave is a new benefit for employees in Washington beginning January 2020. It provides paid time off when a serious health condition prevents you from working or when workers need time to care for a family member or a new child. Paid Family and Medical Leave is available to almost everyone working in Washington. See Chapter 2.2
Minimum Wage Increase for 2020
The Washington statewide minimum wage will increase to $13.50/hour, and Seattle’s minimum hourly wage will increase to $16.39 for large employers and $13.50 to $15.75 at small employers. For more details, see Chapter 1, Your Right to be Paid
Easier to Change Jobs in the Same Industry
Beginning in 2020, Washington employers will no longer be able to use “non-compete agreements” to stop workers who earn less than $100,000 a year (or less than $250,000 a year for independent contractors) from going to work for other businesses in the same industry. These agreements have mushroomed recently in service jobs. For details, see Chapter 1.9
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