Bill > HB2052

This bill addresses overtime requirements for agricultural workers in Washington State by allowing individual agricultural employees to voluntarily waive overtime pay for up to 15 workweeks in a calendar year. The legislation aims to help agricultural workers increase their earnings during peak harvest seasons by giving them the flexibility to work more hours without triggering mandatory overtime rates. Under the new provisions, an agricultural employee can choose to waive their overtime rights for a minimum of one workweek, which can be either intermittent or consecutive. During these waived weeks, employers must still pay the employee at their regular rate of pay, regardless of the number of hours worked, and are not required to provide overtime compensation. The bill includes a requirement for agricultural employers to maintain records of these voluntary waivers, in addition to existing employment records. The Legislature's rationale for the bill is that recent overtime restrictions have limited agricultural workers' ability to earn money during busy harvest periods, and this legislation provides workers with more economic opportunities by allowing them to decide whether to work additional hours at their regular pay rate.

Labor and Employment

https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=2052&Year=2025&Initiative=false