Spokane, Washington, has enacted the nation’s first “Ban the Address” ordinance, aiming to reduce employmentbarriers for individuals experiencing homelessness. Passed unanimously by the City Council, the law prohibitsemployers from inquiring about an…
Posts by Category: Washington
State House Passes Taylor’s Bill to Expedite Background Checks for Care Workers
Washington’s House passed Bill 1385, aimed at expediting background checks for workers in caregiving roles for children, the elderly, and individuals with disabilities. Sponsored by Rep. Jamila Taylor, the bill facilitates the interstate exchange of criminal…
How Will Washington’s HB 1747 Change Employer Hiring Policies?
Washington’s HB 1747 aims to restrict employers’ ability to use criminal background checks in hiring decisions, prohibiting the use of such checks until after a conditional offer is made. The bill intends to help individuals with criminal histories gain…
Washington Adds Pay History Ban, Transparency Requirements
A year after enacting the 2018 Equal Pay and Opportunity Act, the legislature in Washington has passed HB 1696, which restricts pay history inquiries and enhances pay transparency requirements. The state will be the eighth to ban all public and private employers from…
Washington Ban the Box Law Limits Criminal Background Inquiries
Washington will become the next state to implement “ban the box” legislation in June. Governor Jay Inslee signed into law the Washington Fair Chance Act (WFCA) on March 13, which prohibits inquiries regarding applicants’ conviction histories until…
Washington Court Dismisses Medical Marijuana Claims Asserted by Employee
Another Washington court has held that an employer lawfully may terminate an employee for using marijuana, even when the employee had a prescription and used it off-duty. After a workplace injury, Safeway tested its employee, Swaw, for drugs. Swaw tested positive for…
Spokane Joining Nationwide ‘Ban the Box’ Trend
Spokane Mayor David Condon said the city would join a nationwide trend to “ban the box” and no longer ask city job applicants about their criminal background. Condon said revising the city’s employment application would open “another pathway to…
Class Action Filed Against Washington Metro Over Background Checks of African Americans
The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority has been named in a lawsuit after the class members claim its background check policies are unfair. The plaintiffs claim the defendants’ actions have disproportionately affected African American applicants…