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