Concerning access to personnel records.
SB 5345 requires Washington employers to provide current and former employees with access to their personnel files within 21 days of a request, including records like performance evaluations, disciplinary actions, and payroll information. Employees can request corrections to inaccurate information in their files, and employers must remove verified errors or include the employee's rebuttal. The bill creates a private right to sue employers for violations, with statutory damages ranging from $250 to $1,000 per violation depending on delays (e.g., $250 for missing the 21-day deadline), and mandates a 5-day notice period before filing a lawsuit. It applies to all employers covered by Washington's personnel record laws and does not override existing privacy statutes.
Bill status
in committee
1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Jan 12, 2026
Last action Jan 12, 2026
Floor votes
How they voted
No floor votes recorded yet.
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
2
Key actions
0
Committee
0
Jan 12, 2026
Introduced
By resolution, reintroduced and retained in present status.
upper
1 primary · 13 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
RS
Rebecca Saldaña
DDemocratic
Co
Adrian Cortes
DDemocratic
Co
Bob Hasegawa
DDemocratic
Co
Claire Wilson
DDemocratic
Co
Claudia Kauffman
DDemocratic
Co
Derek Stanford
DDemocratic
Co
Javier Valdez
DDemocratic
Co
John Lovick
DDemocratic
Co
Manka Dhingra
DDemocratic
Co
Noel Frame
DDemocratic
Co
Steve Conway
DDemocratic
Ask Maddy
·
AI policy assistant
Ask Maddy about SB 5345
Scope: WA
Hi! I can help you understand SB 5345. What would you like to know?
Try one of these
i
Maddy answers using official bill text and legislative records. Always verify before sharing.
Sources cited inline