Bill > SB5501

This bill prohibits employers from requiring a valid driver's license as a condition of employment or job posting, unless driving is an essential job function or related to a legitimate business purpose. The bill establishes enforcement mechanisms through the director, who can investigate complaints and issue citations for violations. If a violation is found, the employer may be required to pay the complainant actual damages, statutory damages (which will be the greater of actual damages or $5,000), interest, and investigation costs. Civil penalties are structured with a first-time violation not exceeding $500 and repeat violations not exceeding $1,000 or 10 percent of damages. Employees who successfully challenge an employer have the right to recover costs and attorneys' fees. Any civil penalties collected will be deposited into the supplemental pension fund, and wages and interest calculations can look back up to four years from the last violation. The bill also amends existing rules to provide broader regulatory authority for the department to implement the chapter's provisions, expanding the scope of their rulemaking capabilities related to employment practices.

Business and Industry, Labor and Employment

https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=5501&Year=2025&Initiative=false