The bill amends Washington's wage recovery laws to enhance the investigation of wage complaints and increase penalties for employers who fail to meet wage payment requirements. Key provisions include empowering the Department of Labor and Industries to prioritize complaints based on potential harm and severity, requiring a written process for this prioritization, and mandating that citations or compliance determinations be issued within 60 days of a complaint. A new wage recovery program is introduced, allowing the department to provide immediate financial assistance to low-wage employees facing economic hardship due to unpaid wages. Additionally, the bill raises the minimum civil penalty for willful violations from $1,000 to $1,500 and establishes a wage recovery account to manage funds collected from penalties, which will now be directed towards supporting wage recovery efforts instead of the pension fund.

The legislation also addresses the rights of drivers working for transportation network companies, prohibiting retaliation against them for exercising their rights, such as filing complaints or using paid sick time. It outlines a process for drivers to report retaliation, with a 180-day filing window and a 90-day investigation period by the department. Civil penalties for transportation network companies that violate these provisions will be deposited into the newly created wage recovery account, and the bill includes mechanisms for adjusting penalties for inflation. Furthermore, it establishes an appeals process for aggrieved parties and ensures the confidentiality of personal information in complaints, ultimately aiming to strengthen protections for drivers and improve enforcement against violations by transportation network companies.

Statutes affected:
Original bill: 49.48.083, 49.48.125, 49.46.320, 49.46.330, 49.46.310, 49.46.370