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Committee hears broad support for Wage Recovery Act to speed payments to low‑wage workers
Summary
Supporters told the Labor and Workplace Standards Committee that House Bill 2479 would create a wage recovery program to get unpaid wages to low‑wage workers sooner, fund the program with penalty collections, and give L&I discretion to prioritize investigations while increasing penalties for willful violators.
A state House committee heard bipartisan, business and labor-backed support on Jan. 23 for House Bill 2479, the Wage Recovery Act, which would create a wage recovery program intended to get unpaid wages into the hands of low‑wage employees before a formal citation is issued.
Committee staff told members the bill has two primary parts: creating a wage recovery program and account to make urgent disbursements, and granting the Department of Labor and Industries discretion to prioritize investigations and change civil penalties for willful violations. Under the bill, an eligible employee could receive up to 85% of wages owed, capped at $2,500, with disbursements permitted beginning July 1, 2028, or when the wage recovery account contains at least $130,000, whichever is later.
Representative Mary Fossey (38th Legislative…
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