Employer conduct — Actual or perceived victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking. (Effective until January 1, 2026.)
RCW 49.76.115
in effectAn employer may not: (1) Refuse to hire an otherwise qualified individual because the individual is an actual or perceived victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking; (2) Discharge, threaten to discharge, demote, suspend or in any manner discriminate or retaliate against an individual with regard to promotion, compensation, or other terms, conditions, or privileges of employment because the individual is an actual or perceived victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking; (3) Refuse to make a reasonable safety accommodation requested by an individual who is a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking, unless the employer can demonstrate that the accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the operation of the business of the employer. For the purposes of this section, an "undue hardship" means an action requiring significant difficulty or expense. A reasonable safety accommodation may include, but is not limited to, a transfer, reassignment, modified schedule, changed work telephone number, changed work email address, changed workstation, installed lock, implemented safety procedure, or any other adjustment to a job structure, workplace facility, or work requirement in response to actual or threatened domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking.
An employer may not:
(1) Refuse to hire an otherwise qualified individual because the individual is an actual or perceived victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking;
(2) Discharge, threaten to discharge, demote, suspend or in any manner discriminate or retaliate against an individual with regard to promotion, compensation, or other terms, conditions, or privileges of employment because the individual is an actual or perceived victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking;
(3) Refuse to make a reasonable safety accommodation requested by an individual who is a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking, unless the employer can demonstrate that the accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the operation of the business of the employer. For the purposes of this section, an "undue hardship" means an action requiring significant difficulty or expense. A reasonable safety accommodation may include, but is not limited to, a transfer, reassignment, modified schedule, changed work telephone number, changed work email address, changed workstation, installed lock, implemented safety procedure, or any other adjustment to a job structure, workplace facility, or work requirement in response to actual or threatened domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking.
Source: WA Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=49.76&full=trueFetched: 6/29/2026