WashingtonEmployers face repeat-report penalties for knowingly omitting workers’ job information
Washington employers face repeat-report penalties for leaving workers’ job codes or titles out of unemployment tax and wage reports only when they knowingly omit them.
What it does
Employers receive a warning for a first incomplete report. Missing workers’ job codes or titles brings repeat-report penalties only for knowing omissions within five years of the last occurrence.
Argument forEmployers could avoid incomplete-report penalties for accidentally leaving out workers’ job information, including mistakes caused by reporting software.
Argument againstRequiring employers to knowingly omit job information could make penalties harder to enforce when incomplete reports leave workers’ jobs unclear.
More detail
Missing job codes or titles triggers incomplete-report penalties only when employers knowingly omit that information. This rule covers employers’ unemployment tax and wage reports. Job codes identify the type of work employees do. Employers receive a warning for the first incomplete report. Repeat-report penalties apply to later occurrences within five years of the last occurrence. The Employment Security Department’s commissioner may waive penalties for minor errors, including accidental software failures affecting job information. The law took effect on June 11, 2026.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed House
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Mar 14Effective date 6/11/2026.Latest
- Mar 14Chapter 43, 2026 Laws.Major
- Mar 14Governor Bob Ferguson signed.Became Law
- Mar 9Delivered to Governor.To Governor
- Mar 4Speaker signed.Passed House
- Mar 3President signed.Passed Senate
- Feb 28Third reading, passed; yeas, 94; nays, 0; absent, 0; excused, 4.Minor
- Vote recorded 3rd Reading & Final Passage (#6). Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 28Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.Minor
- Feb 25Rules Committee relieved of further consideration. Placed on second reading.Minor
- Feb 23Referred to Rules 2 Review.Minor
- Feb 20LAWS - Majority; do pass.Minor
- Feb 20Executive action taken in the House Committee on Labor & Workplace Standards at 10:30 AM.
- Feb 18Public hearing in the House Committee on Labor & Workplace Standards at 8:00 AM.
- Feb 6First reading, referred to Labor & Workplace Standards.Minor
- Feb 4Third reading, passed; yeas, 49; nays, 0; absent, 0; excused, 0.Minor
- Vote recorded 3rd Reading & Final Passage (#8). Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 4Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.Minor
- Feb 41st substitute bill substituted (LC 26).Major
- Jan 28Placed on second reading by Rules Committee.Minor
- Jan 26Passed to Rules Committee for second reading.
- Jan 23Minority; without recommendation.Minor
- Jan 23LC - Majority; 1st substitute bill be substituted, do pass.Major
- Jan 23Executive action taken in the Senate Committee on Labor & Commerce at 8:00 AM.
- Jan 16Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Labor & Commerce at 8:00 AM.
- Jan 12First reading, referred to Labor & Commerce.Minor
- 2025
- Dec 12Prefiled for introduction.Introduced
Economy & Jobs