Bill > SB5525

This bill, known as the "Securing Timely Notification and Benefits for Laid-off Employees Act," establishes new protections for workers facing employment loss due to business closings or mass layoffs. The bill requires employers with 50 or more employees to provide 60 days of advance written notice to the Washington State Employment Security Department and affected employees before implementing a business closing or mass layoff. The notice must include details such as the employment site, expected date of job losses, affected job titles, and whether the layoff results from relocation or outsourcing. The bill defines employment loss as termination (except for cause), layoffs exceeding six months, or significant hour reductions. Employers may be exempt from notice requirements in specific circumstances, such as actively seeking capital, facing unforeseeable business conditions, experiencing a natural disaster, or in certain construction project scenarios. If an employer fails to provide proper notice, they can be liable for back pay, benefits costs, and civil penalties up to $500 per day of violation. The law also protects employees on paid family or medical leave from being included in mass layoff orders and allows aggrieved employees or their representatives to seek legal recourse, including potential attorney's fees, within three years of a violation.