Private right of action
Seattle Mun. Code § 14.34.230
in effect14.34.230 - Private right of action
A. Any person or class of persons that suffers an injury as a result of a violation of this Chapter 14.34, or is the subject of prohibited retaliation under Section 14.34.120, may bring a civil action in a court of competent jurisdiction against the hiring entity or other person violating this Chapter 14.34 and, upon prevailing, may be awarded reasonable attorney fees and costs and such legal or equitable relief as may be appropriate to remedy the violation including, without limitation: the payment of any unpaid compensation plus interest due to the person and liquidated damages in an additional amount of up to twice the unpaid compensation; and a penalty payable to any aggrieved party of up to $5,565.10 if the aggrieved party was subject to prohibited retaliation. Interest shall accrue from the date the unpaid compensation was first due at 12 percent per annum, or the maximum rate permitted under RCW 19.52.020.
B. In a civil action against the hiring entity under this Chapter 14.34 or in a breach of contract action against the hiring entity, there shall be a presumption rebuttable by clear and convincing evidence, such as a written contract, that if the independent contractor performs agreed-upon work for a hiring entity and the hiring entity has not provided a pre-contract disclosure pursuant to Section 14.34.050, the independent contractor's alleged terms and conditions of the contractual relationship are the terms and conditions of the contractual relationship.
C. For purposes of this Section 14.34.230, "person" includes any entity a member of which has suffered an injury or retaliation, or any other individual or entity acting on behalf of an aggrieved party that has suffered an injury or retaliation.
D. For purposes of determining membership within a class of persons entitled to bring an action under this Section 14.34.230, two or more independent contractors are similarly situated if they:
1. Are or were hired for the same hiring entity or hiring entities, whether concurrently or otherwise, at some point during the applicable statute of limitations period,
2. Allege one or more violations that raise similar questions as to liability, and
3. Seek similar forms of relief.
E. For purposes of subsection 14.34.230.C, independent contractors shall not be considered dissimilar solely because the independent contractors':
1. Claims seek damages that differ in amount, or
2. Job titles or other means of classifying independent contractors differ in ways that are unrelated to their claims.
F. An order issued by the court may include a requirement for a hiring entity to submit a compliance report to the court and to the Agency.
(Ord. 126373, § 1, 2021.)
Source: City of Seattle, Seattle Municipal Code and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/wa/seattle/codes/municipal_code?nodeId=TIT14HURI_CH14.34INCOPR_14.34.230PRRIACFetched: 11/1/2026