This website is home to the Washington State Workers’ Rights Manual and provides an easy overview of everyone’s Workplace Rights.
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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