On July 1st, 2025, Washington’s Department of Labor & Industries issued Notice #25‑19, which announces expanded protections under the state’s Equal Pay and Opportunities Act. The key changes include:
- Equal-Pay Safeguards: Now extended beyond gender to cover more protected characteristics—race, age (40+), disability (including service animals), marital and military status, sexual orientation, national origin, citizenship/immigration status, creed, color, and veteran status.
- Employers are now explicitly required to ensure that pay and promotion decisions cannot be based on any of these attributes when employees perform substantially similar work defined by skill, effort, and responsibility—not just job titles.
These changes significantly widen coverage, applying “equal pay” standards to hundreds of thousands more workers in Washington, according to L&I director Joel Sacks.
Why This Matters — For Employers and Employees
For Employees
- Workers now have legal grounds to challenge pay disparities or promotion decisions based on a wide range of personal traits.
- The law classifies similar work based on objective factors, meaning employees can hold employers accountable even across job titles
For Employers
- You must review pay structures, progression criteria, and HR practices to eliminate inequities.
- Expect increased L&I enforcement and greater employee scrutiny of pay and promotional policies.
What Else Is Coming—July 27, 2025
Notice #25-19 also references two more important changes going into effect later this month:
- Driver’s License Rule: Employers cannot require a driver’s license unless driving is essential to the job—nor can they include such a requirement in job postings unless necessary.
- Pay Transparency: Employers with 15+ employees must include wage ranges, benefits summaries, and compensation info in job listings. If L&I notifies a non-compliant posting, the employer gets a 5-business-day window to fix it—through July 27, 2027—to avoid penalties.
Here’s What You Should Consider Doing Next (as an Employer)
Conduct a Pay Equity Audit
- Review compensation across demographics to ensure parity in similar roles.
- Adjust where imbalances exist.
Update Job Descriptions & Postings
- Remove unnecessary license requirements.
- Add required pay range and benefit info to all new postings.
- Set up internal review timeline for correction notices.
Revise Promotion Policies
- Ensure criteria are objective (skill, effort, responsibility).
- Remove unconscious bias and discriminatory language.
Communicate to Staff
- Make employees aware of updated rights and posting transparency.
- Share new channels for concerns or pay complaints.
Train HR and Management
- Ensure understanding of the new protected classes and compliance steps.
Prepare for Enforcement
- L&I enforcement and employee complaints may ramp up. Staying proactive reduces risk.
Notice #25‑19 marks a meaningful expansion of pay equity and workplace fairness in Washington. By extending equal-pay protections across numerous personal traits and boosting transparency and accountability for employers, this update underscores a cultural shift toward equity. Businesses should act now—start audits, update postings, refine promotion policies, and prepare for increased compliance expectations to avoid penalties and maintain a fair workplace.
For more details on the updates to equal pay for Washington workers, visit the news release from the Washington Department Labor & Industries.