Washington legislation · 2025-26 Regular Session
Washington HB2479: Unpaid wage recovery
Status: Signed into law, March 14, 2026
Concerning the recovery of unpaid wages.
What the bill says
An act Relating to the recovery of unpaid wages; amending RCW 49.48.083, 49.46.320, 49.46.330, 49.46.340, and 49.46.370; reenacting and amending RCW 43.79A.040 and 43.79A.040; adding new sections to chapter 49.48 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 44.28 RCW; repealing RCW 49.48.125; providing an effective date; and providing expiration dates.
From the introduced text:
AN ACT Relating to the recovery of unpaid wages; amending RCW 49.48.083, 49.46.320, 49.46.330, 49.46.340, and 49.46.370; reenacting and amending RCW 43.79A.040 and 43.79A.040; adding new sections to chapter 49.48 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 44.28 RCW; repealing RCW 49.48.125; providing an effective date; and providing expiration dates. Sec. 1. RCW 49.48.083 and 2023 c 243 s 1 are each amended to read as follows: (1)(a) If an employee files a wage complaint with the department, the department ((shall))may investigate the wage complaint. The department must establish a written process by which wage complaints will be prioritized based on factors including, but not limited to, the harm to the affected employee, the severity of the complaint, the number of employees potentially affected, and the probability of retaliation. The department's enforcement priorities must be made publicly available. (b) Unless otherwise resolved, when the department accepts a complaint, the department shall issue either a citation and notice of assessment or a determination of compliance no later than 60 days after the date on which the department ((received))accepted the wage complaint. The department may extend the time period by providing advance written notice to the employee and the employer setting forth good cause for an extension of the time period and specifying the duration of the extension. (c) The department may …
Sponsors
- Mary Fosse (D) · primary sponsor
- Suzanne Schmidt (R)
- Liz Berry (D)
- Osman Salahuddin (D)
- Janice Zahn (D)
- Chris Stearns (D)
- Lisa Parshley (D)
- Roger Goodman (D)
- Alex Ramel (D)
- Beth Doglio (D)
- Dan Bronoske (D)
- Julio Cortes (D)
Latest actions
- : Effective date 6/11/2026*.
- : Chapter 53, 2026 Laws.
- : Governor signed.
- : Delivered to Governor.
- : President signed.
- : Speaker signed.
- : Third reading, passed; yeas, 49; nays, 0; absent, 0; excused, 0.
- : Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.
- : Placed on second reading by Rules Committee.
- : Passed to Rules Committee for second reading.
Votes
- 3rd Reading & Final Passage (March 4, 2026): 49 yea, 0 nay, passed
- Senate Committee on Ways & Means: Do pass (March 2, 2026): 22 yea, 0 nay, passed
- Senate Committee on Labor & Commerce: Do pass (February 24, 2026): 7 yea, 1 nay, passed
- 3rd Reading & Final Passage (February 13, 2026): 94 yea, 0 nay, passed
- House Committee on Appropriations: The second substitute bill be substituted therefor and the second substitute bill do pass and do not pass the substitute bill by Committee on Labor & Workplace Standards (February 7, 2026): 27 yea, 0 nay, passed
- House Committee on Labor & Workplace Standards: The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass (January 30, 2026): 9 yea, 0 nay, passed
Subjects: PUBLIC FUNDS AND ACCOUNTS, LABOR AND INDUSTRIES, DEPARTMENT OF
Common questions
- What is HB2479?
- HB2479 is a bill in the Washington Legislature (2025-26 Regular Session): Unpaid wage recovery.
- What does HB2479 do?
- In its own words: An act Relating to the recovery of unpaid wages; amending RCW 49.48.083, 49.46.320, 49.46.330, 49.46.340, and 49.46.370; reenacting and amending RCW 43.79A.040 and 43.79A.040; adding new sections to chapter 49.48 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 44.28 RCW; repealing RCW 49.48.125; providing an effective date; and providing expiration dates.
- What is the status of HB2479?
- Signed into law as of March 14, 2026. Latest action: Effective date 6/11/2026*. (March 14, 2026).
- Who sponsored HB2479?
- Mary Fosse (D), with 11 co-sponsors.
- Where is the official record for HB2479?
- On the Washington Legislature website: https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=2479&Year=2025
Source: official Washington record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.