Senate committee pauses HB 2957A after debate over BOLI right-to-sue timing and a proposed compromise

The Senate Committee on Labor and Business held multiple public hearings on House Bill 2957A on May 15, 2025, and carried the bill over to the committee's next meeting while staff draft a compromise amendment.

The bill would change how BOLI right-to-sue letters interact with civil filing deadlines. Proponents said the measure would preserve low-wage workers’ ability to find counsel and file suit, while business groups warned it could extend liability and legal uncertainty for employers.

Kate Sussman, legal director at Northwest Workers’ Justice Project, told the committee that low-wage workers often struggle to find attorneys after receiving a BOLI notice. “If you have 5 years to file, you have 5 years to file,” Sussman said, arguing the current interplay between BOLI letters and civil statutes of limitations can unfairly shorten the practical time a worker has to sue. Sussman described cases in which workers received a BOLI…