[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100,112],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6366058,"mediaKeyId","2159671-4c67c9b1dfe5f5b1d20fba0d25e3125d","parentId",2159671,"title","Bill would allow Washington ferry captains to vote to consolidate bargaining units","audioSeconds",281,"startMs",3234000,"endMs",3515000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2159671-4c67c9b1dfe5f5b1d20fba0d25e3125d&start=3234&end=3515","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2159671-4c67c9b1dfe5f5b1d20fba0d25e3125d/thumbnail_3234000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6366058/Washington/Bill-would-allow-Washington-ferry-captains-to-vote-to-consolidate-bargaining-units","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6366058-64349a04efab89fc38a549e5aae6f8d8/orig.mp4?Expires=1773733710&Signature=QKhhWJu7PKFUS5C~77Ip6kNOeQQb9IMh39I4kGFo~Yex54cypkAZHESSzUPc-M6PabFquGF1DY8dVtQSrp-C9SyFFeQVXqMkRad40CgFQpLN6d0ikbPoHdjekOJfkaEhrDtY1wAslwodsahVqpPzls2weKqILKtC4Ez~58hQpQNEiUjPhIONf2~M75bXWaIeI4JAjWfMEv--xv-S80LXYYjF0aF1nqm9hVXXGdEeBux9SQvg5yNL9aDINqWE8Qi~FbVh7gIy~0jDv7RaN9g2c7YBZC722Z8pRY4SUSTYbvcFZEY~kFUYssnxP85S4l6NbGNVtnjb3eMBWD7p07zw9g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","House Labor & Workplace Standards ","date","2025-01-28T00:00:00Z","article","House Bill 1511 would allow members of the Washington State Ferries captains’ bargaining unit to vote to consolidate with the ferries’ mates’ bargaining unit, and it would update captain duties to add a responsibility to follow applicable international law and regulation, staff said during a Jan. 28 committee hearing.

Representative Parsley (first-time presenter before the Labor Committee) described the measure as a “good little bill” intended to reduce administrative inefficiencies that resulted from a 2011 decision splitting masters, mates and pilots from the captains’ unit. ‘‘By allowing the captains to vote for rejoining the larger International Association of Masters, Mates and Pilots, the bill promotes unity and a collaborative approach to labor relations,’’ Parsley said.

Dan Tuig (Vice President, International Organization of Masters, Mates and Pilots for the West Coast) testified in support. He said keeping separate bargaining tables risks inconsistent arbitration results, pay compression or inversion, and dispatch rules that do not align when two arbitrators interpret identical contract language differently. Tuig said consolidation would reduce those inefficiencies and potential confusion.

The bill does not itself mandate consolidation; staff said it permits a vote by the captains’ bargaining unit to determine whether to join. No committee vote was taken during the hearing.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Labor & Workplace Standards - 1/28/2025 10:30 AM","oneSentenceSummary","House Bill 1511 would permit captains in the Washington State Ferries system to vote to consolidate the captains’ bargaining unit with the mates’ bargaining unit; proponents said the change would reduce duplication and potential contract inconsistencies created when units bargain separately.","taxTitle","Labor & Workplace Standards, House of Representatives, Legislative Sessions, Washington","taxId",20266,"location","Washington","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6366066,"Bill would bar employers from requiring a driver’s license on job applications unless driving is essential",798,2149000,2947000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2159671-4c67c9b1dfe5f5b1d20fba0d25e3125d&start=2149&end=2947","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2159671-4c67c9b1dfe5f5b1d20fba0d25e3125d/thumbnail_2149000.jpg","/articles/6366066/Washington/Bill-would-bar-employers-from-requiring-a-drivers-license-on-job-applications-unless-driving-is-essential","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6366066-0f4e5f685c6297005f9162b1e7cb3bf4/orig.mp4?Expires=1773733710&Signature=YuG5aiLGzmRl3dC4XeT3HMT6XYUXCBH9x16eGd6esPJk98Iihcpvv8bNk7aJ0a9V8v~YoLpa3CrRoYG8bQCFDWSnRIgIeuPiK~ubhWk8UhpqLIIHqKSJHWeBAKzxN3Why0pKI0m3HCuJ9r~mWIzVE0q7AHrVl6eeTL~cuH~nbpRc4qbXBKKu2MHZwPTSVPs1PSnuFBpQ6w0LbXBGWtpgKR5ol0sXgBZEI6Jc-qUu0gPd4h5D0Mf2yK~tBmEQc7n1RUSMhUyrstLMj8rz4KZAyAXz6uDfJf1F3Hm938xEzDoh7wL3W~lIIvCBXYjpKNAxIuEgCmw7EKvG8A0SlSjhvQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","House Bill 1402 would make it an unfair practice under the Washington Law Against Discrimination for an employer to require a driver’s license on a job advertisement, posting or application unless driving is an essential job function or the employer reasonably believes alternate transportation would not be comparable in time or cost, staff told the committee on Jan. 28.

Disability Rights Washington, the National Federation of the Blind of Washington and individual witnesses testified in strong support, saying the license requirement functions as a screening tool that prevents qualified candidates — including people who are blind or use wheelchairs — from even reaching interviews for jobs that do not require driving. Marcy Carpenter, president of the National Federation of the Blind of Washington, said blind people “are excluded from even getting to the point of an interview because often the driver’s license question is a screener.”

Testimony included personal examples. Crystal Monteros said she was denied a child-care position despite passing interview steps because she does not hold a driver’s license and relies on public transit and caregiving supports. Haley Edick, assistant chair of the state Commission on Disabilities, said some application systems reject an applicant who indicates they cannot or do not drive and that applicants sometimes feel compelled to falsify answers to proceed.

Business groups supported the bill’s intent but asked for clearer drafting on key terms. Mike Ennis of the Building Industry Association of Washington and Rose Gunderson of the Washington Retail Association said terms such as “reasonable” and “essential” should be defined to reduce uncertainty. Gunderson also said the bill’s assessment requirement could trigger rulemaking and small-business economic impact analyses; she suggested borrowing language from a separate bill (SB 5501) that the committee is considering.

Witnesses said the Americans with Disabilities Act’s definition of “essential function” is a relevant legal reference for determining when driving is required. Committee members asked whether the bill would allow employers in rural areas to ensure applicants have a reliable way to get to work; several disability witnesses replied that employers may require reliable attendance but that how an employee gets to work is not the employer’s business when driving is not essential.

No vote was taken during the Jan. 28 hearing.","House Bill 1402 would make it an unfair practice to require a driver’s license on job postings or applications unless driving is an essential job function or alternate transportation is not comparable; disability advocates said it would open opportunities while business groups sought clearer definitions.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6366070,"Bill would add factors for arbitrators in adult family home bargaining, providers say it would improve pay",628,1511000,2139000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2159671-4c67c9b1dfe5f5b1d20fba0d25e3125d&start=1511&end=2139","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2159671-4c67c9b1dfe5f5b1d20fba0d25e3125d/thumbnail_1511000.jpg","/articles/6366070/Washington/Bill-would-add-factors-for-arbitrators-in-adult-family-home-bargaining-providers-say-it-would-improve-pay","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6366070-181fc7a1a81e73a651fab980f720103e/orig.mp4?Expires=1773733710&Signature=W4uqxQper32DaDm4hqTVc3P8iRY-ifmD8QuQOXjd3-rc-OO9GkWgATDOsopTJ5g1OBcxHsmXPEerTecTadIEhTewql5g7mkOjNvX4peKg60tgyYU5cNTK8tZF1MZCVQj0cTUXrQS-svcXwruW2Z0CeaIctWdp78RoZxH4ysLvYAKjcBiMlxLPWmiAoqgd5xFNi4wyc2F~T2Q-q-lKttgghDtMkSiX1-xCc0NRHSPqx3ckZJbS46sZZdiLt2f1R42lhF2-sUna70XpF0xWZ~IvY1PTRheWPvlYJObKWeAYp5Dr~~jcmsRkHfkVQZ0UYJJ3Q9JGZkYQh8HAx43b8PuZw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","House Bill 1398 would add new factors an interest arbitration panel must or may consider in collective bargaining impasses between adult family home providers and their public employer, staff told the House Labor & Workplace Standards Committee at a Jan. 28 hearing.

Adult family homes provide licensed residential care for elderly people and individuals with developmental or physical disabilities. Under current law, providers are considered public employees for bargaining purposes and disputes that reach impasse go to mediation and binding arbitration. HB 1398 would add two required factors: a comparison of wages, hours and conditions of publicly reimbursed personnel providing similar services across the United States, and a consideration of the state’s financial ability to pay for the collective bargaining agreement. The bill would also add four discretionary factors, including comparisons with publicly employed personnel nationally and the state’s interest in promoting a stable long-term care workforce.

Proponents from the Adult Family Home Council and individual operators said the sector has grown rapidly and that Medicaid reimbursement rates lag other long-term care programs. Courtney Williams, advocacy coordinator for the Adult Family Home Council, said Washington has roughly 5,200 adult family homes serving about 30,000 residents and that the sector has grown about 58% since 2021. “It is time to extend equitable considerations to adult family homes,” Williams said.

Owner-operators and consultants described complex resident needs, staffing ratios and the prevalence of Medicaid funding. Alyssa Arley, who consults on adult family home development, told the committee many providers care for residents with complex medical and behavioral needs and that more than 65% of adult family homes are funded by Medicaid while reimbursement rates “fall far below what’s needed to cover the actual cost of care.” Dan Privette, an owner and council board member, said Medicaid patients represent a majority of beds and that higher reimbursement would allow more providers to accept Medicaid residents without long private-pay waiting periods.

Committee staff answered factual questions about the bill’s effect on arbitration factors; staff said the change alters the factors a panel must consider but does not itself set reimbursement rates. A committee member asked whether the law would enable arbitration panels to raise Medicaid reimbursement levels; staff said they would follow up with details about how reimbursement rate-setting functions in practice.

No committee vote was taken during the hearing.","House Bill 1398 would add required and permissive factors for interest arbitration between adult family home providers and the state; providers and advocates said the change would help align reimbursements with comparable long-term care settings and support workforce stability.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6366075,"Committee hears bill to create state 'WARN' notice and penalties for mass layoffs",516,768000,1284000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2159671-4c67c9b1dfe5f5b1d20fba0d25e3125d&start=768&end=1284","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2159671-4c67c9b1dfe5f5b1d20fba0d25e3125d/thumbnail_768000.jpg","/articles/6366075/Washington/Committee-hears-bill-to-create-state-WARN-notice-and-penalties-for-mass-layoffs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6366075-d47e48cf33b6cc0f10d8f3bc34e25b0b/orig.mp4?Expires=1773733710&Signature=BKe3UyENUYgUMte2kerrI9~FyO8hPitiXBIv0HYP2IME7qfk3hlaPNOJIIq6mOBplDYV7oXDHq9QqOu~Ltbtrttl07C6xzQFttAB10m7uuUQMQkjehdUrgWM8kDm8s671PZYbK8yX3p7jH4Z7sZbKV7Dq2rf1b8-B-lGkDiYwQLu9xY8s~pwIDLUOt6ncHmRjcXoRPFskSWsjZu4-O1tCBdmqXNjD18CmCT7JDHoL691m9LIL5zgm0B0EltqQka9XhE3QXxGrUDgMKZ9QM5yO4bXixyVE4rP35AG1PwBms8TGF4j79Msf5ulXn2bgToMLCAEQs3WuJrbIMo7iq9ggg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","House Bill 1313 would establish a Washington WARN Act requiring covered employers to provide 60 days’ notice to affected employees and local authorities before a mass layoff, relocation or termination, a staff briefing said at the Jan. 28 Labor & Workplace Standards Committee hearing.

Under staff description, the bill defines a mass layoff as a layoff of 50 or more employees at a single facility within a 30-day period and contains several exceptions: if the employer was actively seeking capital or business and believed notice would jeopardize that effort; if a physical calamity or active war caused the event; or if the layoff followed the completion of a construction project when employees were made aware that employment was limited to the project. The Employment Security Department would develop required notices and a survey to capture demographics of impacted workers.

Sponsor remarks emphasized the human and community cost of large-scale layoffs. Representative Scott Day told the committee mass layoffs “put a strain on household budgets and on state social services” and said the bill would give workers and public agencies time to prepare.

Labor organizations including the Washington State Labor Council and the union SPIA testified in support. John Trainer of the Washington State Labor Council said the bill would “provide more accountability to workers during large layoffs” and help deliver rapid-response services to affected families. Brandon Anderson, representing more than 16,000 aerospace engineers and technical workers, said WARN notices the union received in recent months gave members crucial time to plan and called for additional notice requirements — such as whether work will be relocated or outsourced — that could qualify displaced workers for federal trade-adjustment benefits.

Industry witnesses raised technical concerns. The Employment Security Department asked whether civil penalties in the bill were intended as administrative or civil penalties and flagged an accounting issue if fines were deposited to the unemployment insurance trust fund. The Mechanical Contractors Association of Western Washington requested an exemption or clarifying language for multi-employer construction projects and dispatch systems because project work commonly ramps up and down.

The bill also contains enforcement and remedy provisions. Staff said employers who violate the notice requirement could be liable to each affected employee for back pay and benefits up to 60 days, and civil penalties of up to $500 per day could apply unless the employer satisfies liability to employees within three weeks.

No committee vote was taken during the Jan. 28 hearing.","House Bill 1313 would establish a Washington WARN Act requiring 60 days' notice for mass layoffs, relocations or terminations at covered facilities; labor groups supported the bill and industry groups sought clarifications and exemptions for construction and multi-employer sites.",{"_33":113,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":114,"_41":115,"_43":116,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6366077,"Committee hears bill to add military spouses to Washington anti-discrimination law",0,1898000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2159671-4c67c9b1dfe5f5b1d20fba0d25e3125d&start=1898&end=1898","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2159671-4c67c9b1dfe5f5b1d20fba0d25e3125d/thumbnail_1898000.jpg","/articles/6366077/Washington/Committee-hears-bill-to-add-military-spouses-to-Washington-anti-discrimination-law","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6366077-445ce1a507221aa270d1e3bfe0ef95a1/orig.mp4?Expires=1773733710&Signature=WOyiDUXDthxG6yV~PZJoDfp7v4FXUqTnJMHAdj4ufNqnB1mBEz3cfwUkKLFVHjzO7OFEq0j4lI6EUnyA9tiiCXRqmb7pLvkaoaWc4IApmG4nFwFahxiruAnsAZobOFnobpTwymse~HRu1vnc7hLJML4fJ-TSXMMINFZ4~oInqTYZvnfQJfZ2TL9E-CdmeOKyJYuU5f0B-DCShJvnvJgTjMihCnKSG8YyEr597OxMgbNjZqGdA~uuglqIjSe4pF0PLDEosE8DymkzagPEqw43LGVJrM4BEnL8sy~kOIwsxK01pJ6mAEhSQ1vmfmZAitZS7iqnB-bs0Bh9Yls2uMmYwQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","House Bill 1335 would add military spouses to the list of protected classes under the Washington Law Against Discrimination (WLAD), a staff member told the House Labor & Workplace Standards Committee during a Jan. 28 public hearing.

The bill’s prime sponsor, Representative Addison Richards, told the committee the change is “a narrow fix” to extend protections already afforded to veterans and active duty service members to spouses who seek employment. “Their spouse is the pillar of their family and is a large part of what keeps their family together,” Richards said.

The bill would make it an unfair practice for an employer, labor union or employment agency to discriminate against someone because they are a military spouse; the Human Rights Commission enforces WLAD, staff said. Tammy Peralta of the Department of Defense told the committee Washington has among the highest military populations in the country and that about 23,000 active-duty military spouses — plus roughly 1,000 spouses of reserve and National Guard members — could be affected. Peralta said the department and other states, including Virginia, Maryland and New Mexico, have enacted similar protections.

Several military spouses testified about job barriers and underemployment. Valerie Vascones said she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in 2022 but faced underemployment after becoming a military spouse and that employers sometimes assume spouses are unreliable because of moves. “This bill is just one step closer to a work culture that sees military spouses not as a poor long term investment, but as a competent and adaptable workforce,” Vascones said. She and other testifiers said nearly half of military spouses hold a bachelor’s degree or higher.

Business groups registered concerns about how adding military spouses to WLAD might interact with the state’s Equal Pay and Opportunities Act (EPOA). Rose Gunderson of the Washington Retail Association asked whether adding the protected class to WLAD would “automatically add that same category into EPOA’s protected class,” citing litigation risk and enforcement costs for employers.

Committee staff said they would follow up with clarification about the statutory interaction. No committee action or vote was taken during the hearing; the committee closed public testimony at the end of the panel.

Why it matters: supporters said the change would reduce employment barriers for military families in communities that host service members, such as the 26th Legislative District around Gig Harbor and Bremerton. Business groups cautioned lawmakers to clarify statutory interactions and enforcement mechanics before the protection is extended.

What’s next: The bill received public testimony and the committee did not take a final vote during the Jan. 28 hearing.","A House bill to add military spouses to the Washington Law Against Discrimination drew testimony from the bill sponsor, military spouses and veterans groups who said it would address hiring barriers; business groups sought clarification on how the change would interact with the Equal Pay and Opportunities Act.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Bill would allow Washington ferry captains to vote to consolidate bargaining units

Bill would bar employers from requiring a driver’s license on job applications unless driving is essential

Bill would add factors for arbitrators in adult family home bargaining, providers say it would improve pay

Committee hears bill to create state 'WARN' notice and penalties for mass layoffs

Committee hears bill to add military spouses to Washington anti-discrimination law