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Senate committee hears bill to create wage-recovery fund, raise penalties for wage theft
Summary
A Senate Labor & Commerce Committee hearing advanced a bill that would let Labor & Industries pay eligible low-wage workers up to $2,500 from a new wage recovery account before final adjudication and strengthen penalties for repeat wage violators; the proposal is funded by redirected civil penalties.
A Washington Senate Labor & Commerce Committee hearing on Feb. 25 advanced a bill to create a wage recovery program intended to get money to low-wage workers faster while Labor & Industries (L&I) pursues collection from employers.
Committee staff explained that second substitute House Bill 2,479 would create an account administered by L&I funded by civil penalties assessed under wage-complaint statutes. The program would allow L&I to provide prompt relief to eligible employees — up to 85 percent of anticipated wages, capped at $2,500 — when the department determines the worker would suffer immediate economic harm if payment…
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