Employer — Public health emergency — Infectious or contagious diseases — Notice of potential exposure.
RCW 49.17.064
in effect(1) During a public health emergency, if an employer receives a notice of potential exposure to the infectious or contagious disease that is the subject of the public health emergency, the employer must, within one business day of potential exposure: (a) Provide written notice to all employees, and the employers of subcontracted employees, who were on the premises at the same worksite as the qualifying individual that they may have been exposed to the infectious or contagious disease. The written notice must be made in a manner the employer normally uses to communicate employment-related information. Written notice may include, but is not limited to, personal service, email, or text message if it can reasonably be anticipated to be received by the employee within one business day of sending and must be in both English and the language understood by the majority of the employees; and (b) Provide a written notice to the exclusive representative, if any, of employees under this subsection (1). (2) The written notice under subsection (1) of this section may not include any employee names or personal identifying information. (3) This section does not alter or eliminate any other reporting obligations an employer has under state or federal law. (4) This section does not require an employee to disclose any medical condition or diagnosis to their employer. (5) This section does not apply to employers who are health care facilities as defined in RCW 9A.50.010 . For employees of health care facilities with known or suspected high-risk exposure, notification to the employee, and with the employee's authorization, to their union representative, if any, by the facility must occur within 24 hours of confirmed exposure. (6) For the purposes of this section: (a) "Notice of potential exposure" means any of the following: (i) Notification to the employer from a public health official or licensed medical provider that an employee was exposed to a qualifying individual at the worksite; (ii) Notification to the employer from an employee, or their emergency contact, that the employee is a qualifying individual; (iii) Notification through a testing protocol of the employer that the employee is a qualifying individual. (b) "Public health emergency" means a declaration or order concerning any infectious or contagious diseases, including a pandemic and is issued as follows: (i) The president of the United States has declared a national or regional emergency that covers every county in the state of Washington; or (ii) The governor of Washington has declared a state of emergency under RCW 43.06.010 (12) in every county in the state. (c) "Qualifying individual" means any person who has: (i) A positive laboratory test for the infectious or contagious disease that is the subject of the public health emergency; (ii) A positive diagnosis of the infectious or contagious disease that is the subject of the public health emergency by a licensed health care provider; (iii) An order to isolate by a public health official related to the infectious or contagious disease that is the subject of the public health emergency; or (iv) Died due to the infectious or contagious disease that is the subject of the public health emergency, in the determination of a local health department. (d) "Worksite" means the building, store, facility, agricultural field, or other location where the qualifying individual worked. "Worksite" does not include any buildings, floors, or other locations of the employer that the qualifying individual did not enter.
(1) During a public health emergency, if an employer receives a notice of potential exposure to the infectious or contagious disease that is the subject of the public health emergency, the employer must, within one business day of potential exposure:
(a) Provide written notice to all employees, and the employers of subcontracted employees, who were on the premises at the same worksite as the qualifying individual that they may have been exposed to the infectious or contagious disease. The written notice must be made in a manner the employer normally uses to communicate employment-related information. Written notice may include, but is not limited to, personal service, email, or text message if it can reasonably be anticipated to be received by the employee within one business day of sending and must be in both English and the language understood by the majority of the employees; and
(b) Provide a written notice to the exclusive representative, if any, of employees under this subsection (1).
(2) The written notice under subsection (1) of this section may not include any employee names or personal identifying information.
(3) This section does not alter or eliminate any other reporting obligations an employer has under state or federal law.
(4) This section does not require an employee to disclose any medical condition or diagnosis to their employer.
(5) This section does not apply to employers who are health care facilities as defined in RCW 9A.50.010 . For employees of health care facilities with known or suspected high-risk exposure, notification to the employee, and with the employee's authorization, to their union representative, if any, by the facility must occur within 24 hours of confirmed exposure.
(6) For the purposes of this section:
(a) "Notice of potential exposure" means any of the following:
(i) Notification to the employer from a public health official or licensed medical provider that an employee was exposed to a qualifying individual at the worksite;
(ii) Notification to the employer from an employee, or their emergency contact, that the employee is a qualifying individual;
(iii) Notification through a testing protocol of the employer that the employee is a qualifying individual.
(b) "Public health emergency" means a declaration or order concerning any infectious or contagious diseases, including a pandemic and is issued as follows:
(i) The president of the United States has declared a national or regional emergency that covers every county in the state of Washington; or
(ii) The governor of Washington has declared a state of emergency under RCW 43.06.010 (12) in every county in the state.
(c) "Qualifying individual" means any person who has:
(i) A positive laboratory test for the infectious or contagious disease that is the subject of the public health emergency;
(ii) A positive diagnosis of the infectious or contagious disease that is the subject of the public health emergency by a licensed health care provider;
(iii) An order to isolate by a public health official related to the infectious or contagious disease that is the subject of the public health emergency; or
(iv) Died due to the infectious or contagious disease that is the subject of the public health emergency, in the determination of a local health department.
(d) "Worksite" means the building, store, facility, agricultural field, or other location where the qualifying individual worked. "Worksite" does not include any buildings, floors, or other locations of the employer that the qualifying individual did not enter.
Source: WA Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=49.17&full=trueFetched: 6/29/2026