WA HB2478

Department of Labor and Industries gains discretionary authority to investigate wage complaints rather than being mandated to investigate all complaints filed by employees

Removes chapter 49.48 RCW from the list of statutes the department investigates for violations, narrowing enforcement scope to chapters 39.12 (prevailing wages) and 49.46 (minimum wage)

Three-year lookback limitation applies to department investigations—employers cannot be ordered to pay wages and interest owed more than three years before the department obtained information about potential violations

Statute of limitations for civil actions tolls when an employee files a wage complaint and ends when the complaint is resolved, terminated, or the department notifies the worker the complaint will not be accepted

Civil penalties for willful wage violations range from $1,000 minimum to $20,000 maximum, or 10% of unpaid wages (whichever is greater), with penalties waived if employers pay all owed wages plus interest within 10 business days