Washington is increasing its wage-hour penalties and creating a new wage recovery program for employees, under a bill effective June 11.
HB 2479 requires the Department of Labor and Industries to assess civil penalties against employers that willfully violate the state’s wage payment law if they have settled more than one wage complaint in the preceding 12 months or at least three complaints in the preceding 24 months.
The minimum civil penalty for willful violations of the wage payment law is rising to $1,500 from $1,000, and the maximum penalty cap of $20,000 is removed, under the bill. Starting in ...