WA HB2479

Creates a wage recovery program administered by the Department of Labor and Industries to provide advance payments (up to 85% of owed wages, maximum $2,500) to low-wage employees experiencing immediate economic harm from unpaid wages, funded by civil penalties collected from wage violations

Establishes a wage recovery account in the state treasury to receive civil penalties from wage violations under chapters 49.48 and 49.46 RCW, replacing the previous deposit destination of the supplemental pension fund

Increases minimum civil penalty for willful wage payment violations from $1,000 to $1,500, with inflation adjustments every three years beginning in 2030, and removes the previous $20,000 maximum cap

Requires the department to establish written prioritization criteria for wage complaint investigations based on factors including employee harm, complaint severity, number of affected employees, and retaliation probability

Mandates a Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee evaluation of the wage recovery program by June 30, 2034, with findings reported by December 1, 2035, after which the review provision expires July 1, 2036