Washington State Department of Labor & Industries’ (L&I) recently released updates to two of its labor law postings, “Your Rights as a Worker” and “Job Safety & Health”. Important changes reflecting employees’ rights under the state’s Domestic Partnership Law, protections against human trafficking, and a clarification of the rule requiring reporting of work-related hospitalizations are now included on the state’s mandatory postings. These changes are now featured on Compliance Poster Company’s updated 9/2010 Washington All-On-One poster.
Domestic Partners
The “Your Rights as a Worker” poster now includes domestic partners’ rights under several state laws. The long-awaited addition of domestic partners to the notice was brought about by the passage of Washington’s Domestic Partnership Law under Senate Bill 5688 (2009).
SB 5688, commonly referred to as the state’s “Everything but Marriage” law, requires that employers treat an employee’s registered domestic partner the same as a married employee’s spouse, to the extent such treatment would not conflict with federal law. Specifically, “registered domestic partners” are now identified as covered persons under the Washington Family Care Act (RCW 49.12.265), Washington Family Leave Act (RCW 49.78.020), and Military Family Leave (RCW 49.77.020) sections of the poster. Other provisions of law amended by the legislation include payment of a deceased employee’s wages (RCW 49.48.120), assignment of wages (RCW 49.48.100), and domestic violence leave (RCW 49.76.202).
Human Trafficking
A new subsection was also added to the “Your Rights as a Worker” poster entitled, “Human trafficking is against the law”. This subsection provides victim assistance toll-free telephone numbers for state and national human trafficking agencies. Senate Bill 6332 (2010), requiring the integration of human trafficking information in L&I posters and brochures, also amended state law relating to the obligation to furnish disclosure statements and informational pamphlets to foreign workers. (RCW 19.320.010, et seq.)
Job safety & Health
Finally, the “Fatality or hospitalization” section of Washington State’s “Job Safety & Health” poster was revised to reflect a recent clarification of the rule relating to reporting work-related in-patient hospitalizations. As amended, WAC 296-800-32005 provides that if an employer does not learn of an otherwise reportable incident at the time it occurs, the employer must make a report within eight hours of the time the incident is reported to any agent or employee of the employer.