The bill amends Washington state law to enhance the recovery of unpaid wages, particularly for low-wage employees and drivers working for transportation network companies. It empowers the Department of Labor and Industries to prioritize wage complaints based on severity and potential harm, allowing for the issuance of citations and assessments within 60 days of a complaint. A new wage recovery program is introduced, enabling the department to provide funds to employees facing immediate economic hardship due to unpaid wages, with a cap of $2,500 or 85% of anticipated wages owed. The bill establishes a wage recovery account funded by civil penalties and recovered wages, which will support this program and ensure that penalties for willful violations are redirected from the pension fund to this new account.

Additionally, the bill outlines a structured process for handling complaints from drivers against transportation network companies, including timelines for investigations and the appeal process for citations. It prohibits retaliation against drivers exercising their rights and mandates investigations into such complaints, with civil penalties for violations increasing for repeat offenders. The legislation aims to strengthen protections for drivers, ensure fair compensation, and provide a more efficient mechanism for resolving wage disputes within the transportation network industry.

Statutes affected:
Original bill: 49.48.083, 49.48.125, 49.46.320, 49.46.330, 49.46.310, 49.46.370
Substitute bill: 49.48.083, 49.46.320, 49.46.330, 49.46.310, 49.46.370, 49.48.125
Second substitute: 49.48.083, 49.46.320, 49.46.330, 49.46.310, 49.46.370, 49.48.125
Bill as passed Legislature: 49.48.083, 49.46.320, 49.46.330, 49.46.310, 49.46.370, 49.48.125
Session law: 49.48.083, 49.46.320, 49.46.330, 49.46.310, 49.46.370, 49.48.125