Washington Business Fall 2015 | Legislative Review | Page 11

issue area reports | employment & workplace

the federal Equal Pay
Act. Further it would
have specifically created a state cause of
action, in addition
to a federal cause of
action, protecting
worker communications about wages and
employment opportunities. While AWB
believes the concerns
raised by the prime
JoReen Brinkman of JCB Hospitality LLC, Jasmine Donovan of Dick’s
Drive-In, and Robert Bleu of Shining Ocean testify before the House
sponsor are already
Labor Committee Jan. 26 on the impact of House bills 1354-56.
addressed by other
state and federal laws,
we
nevertheless
worked
to address busiHB 1356
ness
community
concerns
with this bill.
sick & safe
The
original
legislation
would
have resultemployment leave
ed
in
a
micromanagement
of
day-to-day
Failed/AWB Opposed
business decisions by the state and outside
AWB opposed House Bill 1356 sponsored
labor interests. Ultimately, the parties were
by Rep. Laurie Jinkins, D-Tacoma. This bill
unable to find a version that addressed all
would have taken the Seattle Safe and Sick
concerns. The bill passed the House 53-43,
Leave ordinance and applied it statewide,
but failed to move in the Senate.
requiring employers with more than four
full-time equivalent employees to provide
HB 1926
paid leave. The reporting requirements, as
noncompetition agreements
well as the tiered system, would have creFailed/AWB Opposed
ated a cumbersome system resulting in
House Bill 1926, introduced by Rep.
increased costs for employers. In addition,
Derek Stanford, D-Bothell, would have
the bill would provide causes of actions by
eliminated non-compete agreements in
those not directly employed by the employer.
Washington with the exception of the
The bill passed the House 51-46 with 1
sale of a business, essentially duplicating
excused. It failed to move in the Senate.
California’s system. Testimony before the
House Labor Committee showed there is
ESHB 1646
a genuine misunderstanding of what nonequal pay and opportunities compete agreements are and are not. Many
Failed/AWB Neutral
in the business community worked with
Rep. Tana Senn, D-Mercer Island, introRep. Stanford to find a solution that did
duced House Bill 1646, which would have
not eliminate non-compete agreements in
amended and enhanced enforcement of
Washington. The bill failed to move out of

Bill considered as part of
AWB’s voting record

Favorable outcome for
Washington businesses

the House, but it is likely we will see this
legislation again in 2016.
Other non-compete legislation was
introduced this session, and also failed to
move, including House Bill 1173, which
would have eliminated physician noncompete agreements, and House Bill
1577, which would have eliminated noncompete agreements for those making less
than $39,000 per year.

HB 1355

minimum hourly
wage increase
Failed/AWB Opposed

House Bill 1355, introduced by Rep. Jessyn
Farrell, D-Seattle, would have increased
the state minimum hourly wage to $12
over four years. The proposal came amid
a nationwide movement to raise the minimum wage. Currently, Washington has the
highest statewide minimum wage in the
country at $9.47 per hour. Both Seattle and
SeaTac raised the minimum wage to $15,
phasing in the new rate over the next few
years. Local measures to increase the minimum wage will be on the ballot in Tacoma
this fall. The highly controversial issue
will continue to be raised in the Legislature and future elections. The bill passed
the House 51-46 with 1 excused. It failed
to move in the Senate.
Other minimum wage bills introduced
this session included Senate Bill 5384
Income to Meet Basic Needs (Sen. Mark
Miloscia, R-Federal Way), Senate Bill
6029 Living Wage (Sen. Miloscia, R-Federal Way), Senate Bill 6087 Minimum
Hourly Wage (Sen. Steve Hobbs, D-Lake
Stevens), and House Bill 1786 Aerospace
Wages & Incentives (Rep. Mia Gregerson,
D-SeaTac).

Missed Opportunities

special edition 2015

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