Washington’s State-Mandated Paid Sick Leave Law: Requirements, Interplay with City Ordinances, and New Risks for Employers

Insights: Events Washington’s State-Mandated Paid Sick Leave Law: Requirements, Interplay with City Ordinances, and New Risks for Employers

Northwest Wall and Ceiling Bureau Chapter Luncheon

In 2016, Washington voters adopted Initiative 1433, which had the primary purpose of increasing the minimum wage in Washington State over the next several years. Included in the fine print was mandatory paid sick leave requirements that become effective January 2018. Unlike prior paid sick leave legislation passed by many cities, this initiative did not include any carve outs for collective bargaining agreements entered into by unions with their employers. Typically, the union contracts already account for paid sick leave as part of the negotiated compensation package. Although many unions supported the increased minimum wage law, the mandated paid sick leave provision caught many contractors unprepared.