Bill > HB1398

This bill amends the existing law regarding interest arbitration for adult family home providers by expanding the factors that arbitration panels must or may consider when making determinations about wages, hours, and employment conditions. Specifically, the bill adds a new section (Section 6) that provides detailed guidance for employees listed under RCW 41.56.029, which covers adult family home providers. The panel must now consider comparisons of wages, hours, and employment conditions for publicly reimbursed personnel providing similar services to clients who are elderly, frail, or have developmental disabilities, both within Washington state and across the United States. Additionally, the panel must compare wages of adult family home providers with direct care providers working in those homes. The bill also allows the panel to consider broader factors such as the state's interest in creating a stable long-term care workforce, ensuring affordable healthcare, and reducing reliance on public benefit programs. The changes are part of a broader effort to provide more comprehensive and nuanced guidelines for interest arbitration, taking into account the unique characteristics of different types of workers and the broader public policy implications of their compensation and working conditions.

Budget and Finance, Labor and Employment

https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=1398&Year=2025&Initiative=false