Domestic Workers Bill of Rights draws testimony calling for statewide protections

The Labor & Workplace Standards Committee on Feb. 18, 2025 heard House Bill 15 61, a proposed substitute described in staff briefing as applying minimum standards and enforceable rights to domestic workers and their hiring entities across Washington State.

Kelly Leonard, staff to the committee, summarized the proposed substitute. The substitute would define “domestic worker” to include nannies, house cleaners, home care workers, cooks, gardeners and household managers, while excluding casual babysitting, dog walking and short incidental work. Hiring entities would be required to pay at least minimum hourly wage and overtime, allow uninterrupted meal and rest breaks, permit domestic workers to cook and eat their own food with reasonable restrictions, maintain written records and provide written terms and advance notice of termination (two weeks generally, four weeks for live‑in workers). The substitute would create civil penalties enforceable by the Department of Labor & Industries and preserve a private right of action.…