Washington state rolled out a stack of new laws on January 1, and it’s kind of like the state woke up, said “let’s fix EVERYTHING!” These changes will touch workers, drivers, families, homeowners, and even people who own condos. There are more than we can cover here, but this is a recap on at least a handful of 'em. Consider yourself informed!
Here are Five Fast Facts on new 2026 laws for Washington State:
- 📈 Minimum Wage Up - The minimum wage is now $17.13 per hour, meaning fast-food cashiers might finally afford something greener than instant noodles.
- 💪 Supercharged FMLA - New rules make paid family and medical leave even better for workers - it kicks in quicker and applies to more people. Employers with 25+ workers have to play nice after only 180 days now!
- 😥 Lonely Workers - If you work all by yourself (like in a store late at night), bosses now have to give you things like panic buttons, communications, training, and safety plans so you don’t feel like you’re flying solo in a horror movie.
- 👀 Drivers Beware - Some DUI and driving record laws are changing, so your bad driving history might stick around longer - kind of like that embarrassing haircut photo you hope no one remembers.
- 🏨 Condos And HOAs - Big changes are coming for condos and homeowners’ associations that affect how people vote and manage meetings, and that protect owners more. The idea is to make condo development a better option, which would also provide more places for people to live and address the housing shortage.
🔥Bottom line: There's a lot of new stuff happening now, and much of it is a good thing for workers...though employers may not love all of it since it means more compliance and potentially increased labor costs. So, what you think probably depends on who you are. Regardless, these are the new laws, so now you're informed!
What do you think about these new laws?
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