Washington § 49.96.020 - Wage requirements — Deductions — Exception. (Effective July 1, 2027.)

(1) A hiring entity shall pay the domestic worker compensation at a rate that is equal to or greater than the minimum hourly rate established by the department under RCW 49.46.020.

(2) A hiring entity shall pay the domestic worker overtime compensation at a rate of not less than one and one-half times the worker's regular rate of pay for hours worked in excess of 40 hours in a workweek.

(3)(a) A hiring entity may not:

(i) Collect or receive from a domestic worker a rebate of any part of the compensation paid by the hiring entity to the domestic worker; or

(ii) Willfully, with intent to deprive the domestic worker of any part of the domestic worker's compensation, pay a domestic worker a lower rate of compensation than what the hiring entity is obligated to pay the domestic worker by agreement or contract.

(b) This subsection does not make it unlawful for a hiring entity to withhold or divert any portion of a domestic worker's compensation when required or empowered to do so by state or federal law or when a deduction has been expressly authorized in writing in advance by the domestic worker for a lawful purpose accruing to the benefit of such domestic worker. Any withholdings must be documented in writing by the hiring entity.

(4) This section must be enforced as a wage payment requirement under chapter 49.48 RCW.

(5) This section does not apply where a domestic worker voluntarily provides additional home care in excess of a written agreement between only the domestic worker and a family member to whom the domestic worker is providing services.

Effective date—2026 c 15: See note following RCW 49.96.010.