Senate Bill 5463 expands and clarifies the duties of all self-insured employers and their third-party administrators concerning industrial insurance claims in Washington state. It establishes a clear duty of good faith and fair dealing towards workers, prohibiting actions like coercing workers to accept less than due compensation. The bill empowers the Department of Labor & Industries to investigate violations, impose penalties payable to workers, and mandate corrective actions for repeated failures to uphold this duty. Employers who repeatedly violate these good faith requirements or fail to comply with corrective actions may ultimately have their self-insurer certification withdrawn.
HB 1264 updates the process for determining salaries and benefits for Washington state ferry system employees represented by collective bargaining units. The bill requires the Office of Financial Management to contract with a nationally recognized firm to conduct comprehensive salary and fringe benefit surveys for maritime employees. These surveys will compare ferry employee compensation with directly comparable positions in both public and private sectors to ensure competitive pay. Information identifying specific private employers in these surveys will not be subject to public disclosure.
Senate Bill 5478 updates the rules for benefits offered by the Public Employees' Benefits Board (PEBB) to public employees, their dependents, and retired or disabled school employees. The bill outlines the PEBB's responsibilities to study and develop various insurance plans, including comprehensive health care benefits, while considering factors like cost containment and wellness incentives. It also establishes new, detailed eligibility criteria for employees, seasonal employees, and faculty to qualify for these benefits, based on anticipated work hours and duration of employment. These changes define when individuals become eligible for employer contributions towards their benefits.
HB 1162 requires all health care settings in Washington to develop and implement a comprehensive workplace violence prevention plan to protect their employees. These plans must address factors such as physical security, staffing patterns, employee training, and procedures for reporting violent acts. The bill mandates annual reviews and updates of these plans and requires health care settings to conduct timely investigations into every workplace violence incident. Findings from these investigations, along with incident data, must be regularly summarized and submitted to a relevant workplace committee to identify systemic causes and recommend plan modifications.
Senate Bill 5653 expands the scope of collective bargaining rights for fish and wildlife officers in Washington state. It amends the definition of "fish and wildlife officer" within state law to include additional ranks. Specifically, the bill extends collective bargaining eligibility to lieutenants and captains, as well as officers ranking below deputy chief. This change allows a broader range of fish and wildlife officers to participate in negotiations concerning their employment relations, including wages, hours, and working conditions.
HB 1213 expands protections for workers in Washington's state paid family and medical leave program. The bill requires the department to enhance outreach to employees, explaining their eligibility, application process, and reinstatement and nondiscrimination rights. It also mandates increased outreach to employers about their responsibilities and authorizes the department to audit employer records for compliance. Additionally, the bill clarifies premium collection and calculation methods, and ensures the confidentiality of employee information within the program.
SB 5790 changes how annual cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) are calculated for academic and classified employees at Washington's community and technical colleges. Previously, these salary increases were based on the consumer price index. Starting with the 2025-2027 budget cycle, the bill switches to using the implicit price deflator, a different economic measure, to determine the COLA rate. This ensures that the state continues to fully fund these adjustments for eligible college staff.
House Bill 1934 modifies state law concerning the public disclosure of information from employment investigation records held by public agencies. The bill requires that after an investigation into discrimination or harassment is complete, the names, images, job titles, and contact information of complainants, accusers, and witnesses must be redacted, and their voices altered on audio recordings, before public disclosure, unless they consent. However, if an elected government official is a complainant, their name and title will not be redacted from the investigatory records once the investigation is concluded. This directly affects public employees and individuals involved in such investigations, as well as public agencies responsible for these records.
Senate Bill 5682 extends a tax credit for businesses participating in the Washington customized employment training program. This credit allows businesses to claim 50% of their payments made to the employment training finance account. The bill moves the tax credit's expiration date from July 1, 2026, to July 1, 2031, with the goal of aiding in attracting and retaining jobs in Washington. It also updates the reporting requirements for the college board regarding the program's use and distribution.
House Bill 1167 directs the existing statewide career and technical education task force to specifically consider educational opportunities for careers in maritime professions. The bill expands the task force's mandate, requiring it to develop recommendations for strengthening and expanding access to work-integrated learning, including career and technical education and apprenticeship programs, with a particular focus on the maritime sector. These recommendations will cover aspects like curricula, industry partnerships, educator training, and alignment with postsecondary programs. The aim is to enhance and standardize career and technical education programs to better prepare students for jobs in maritime industries.
