H-1389.1
SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 1313
State of Washington
69th Legislature
2025 Regular Session
By House Labor & Workplace Standards (originally sponsored by Representatives Scott, Farivar, Berry, Alvarado, Ryu, Goodman, Simmons, Thai, Reed, Ormsby, Macri, Ramel, Pollet, and Doglio)
READ FIRST TIME 02/20/25.
AN ACT Relating to addressing mass layoffs, relocations, and terminations at covered establishments; amending RCW 49.44.211 and 49.62.020 ; adding a new section to chapter 50.04 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 19.86 RCW; adding a new chapter to Title 49 RCW; providing an effective date; and prescribing penalties.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. (1) Research shows mass layoffs can have a detrimental effect on both employees and employers. Detrimental effects can include loss of knowledge and institutional memory, low morale and a decline in job satisfaction for the remaining employees, weakened engagement, higher voluntary turnover, and lower innovation for the business. The legislature recognizes that workers are often very dependent on their employers for their livelihood and well-being. The legislature seeks to encourage employers to provide adequate notice and protections to workers. The legislature also intends to encourage more transparency in the employer's process of conducting mass layoffs, which can help reduce these detrimental effects.
(2) The legislature also seeks to determine whether mass layoffs result in a disproportionate dismissal of employees belonging to protected classes and whether certain groups of employees are laid off more than other groups. The legislature also seeks to reduce the impact that mass layoffs have on terminated employees by increasing the ways those employees receive information about benefits and programs they may be entitled to or eligible for.