What is the Law Regarding Employment in Washington?

Employment law refers to the body of laws in Washington that regulate employees, employers, and independent contractors. Employment issues that are controlled by these laws include hiring policies, wage amounts, and termination procedures. Employment law in Washington must be understood by employers and employees.

"At-Will" vs. Contract Employment Terms

Most forms of work relationships are "at-will", though in some circumstances the employer and employee will have an employment contract for a set period of time. In "at-will" employment, either the employer or the worker may terminate the job at any time, just as long as the reasons for doing so are not illegal. When the parties use an employment contract, the terms of employment will be controlled by their state and federal laws, as applied to people living in Washington.

Anti-Discrimination laws in Washington

Washington citizens must abide by laws which make discrimination illegal at all phases of employment, including hiring employees, wage disputes, and terminating procedures. People living in Washington must abide by laws stating it is illegal for employers to discriminate against people who belong to specific classes. These classes may be based on race, national origin, gender, religion, disability, and age.

Claims for employment discrimination may be filed with an administrative agency such as EEOC. Attorneys often specialize in employment discrimination.