Gov. Bob Ferguson has signed Washington’s new Domestic Workers Bill of Rights into law, handing nannies, housekeepers, gardeners and other in-home workers a long-sought set of basic labor protections that many other jobs have had for years.
Ferguson put pen to paper at a Capitol signing event on Monday, according to KIRO 7. The measure, filed this session as House Bill 2355, spells out who counts as a domestic worker and what minimum standards apply. Under the bill, a domestic worker is anyone who is paid for four or more hours of domestic work in a private home in any month, and the statute sets statewide floors for pay and working conditions.
Rep. Brianna Thomas (D-West Seattle), the bill’s sponsor, has called the legislation personal and overdue, saying it reflects the lived experience of domestic workers and their families. Her office outlined the bill’s core protections, including minimum wage and overtime, written work agreements, advance notice requirements and anti-retaliation tools, as changes meant to "create clear, enforceable protections" for in-home workers, according to Washington State House Democrats.
Close to 100 workers and advocates gathered on the north steps of the Capitol for the bill signing, where organizers walked through some of the abuses the law is designed to curb, including passport confiscation, invasive monitoring and wage theft, as reported by the Washington State Standard. Leaders in the domestic-worker community welcomed the new rules but also pointed out that many in-home workers still face gaps when it comes to wages, benefits and retirement.
What Employers Must Do
The new chapter added to Title 49 requires hiring entities to pay domestic workers at least the state minimum wage and to provide overtime at one-and-a-half times the regular rate for hours worked over 40 in a workweek. Employers must spell out job terms in a written agreement in a language the worker understands and keep payroll records, according to House Bill 2355.
The bill also mandates advance notice of termination, with two weeks’ notice for most domestic workers and four weeks for live-in workers. It prohibits employers from withholding personal documents such as passports and bars mandatory arbitration, nondisclosure and non-compete clauses in domestic-work arrangements, per House Bill 2355.
Enforcement And Timeline
The law creates administrative remedies and a civil cause of action for violations and directs state agencies to build out complaint channels and model disclosure forms, according to Washington State House Democrats. The statute takes effect on July 1, 2027, giving household employers a runway to update contracts and payroll systems before the new rules apply, as reported by KPUG.
Why Seattle Matters
Seattle got out in front of the rest of the country in 2018 when it became the first U.S. city to pass its own Domestic Workers Bill of Rights, and state lawmakers say parts of the new statewide law borrow from that local playbook. The city’s Office of Labor Standards now maintains resources, including model notices in multiple languages, to help employers and workers understand the existing city rules, according to the Seattle Office of Labor Standards.
Advocates see the statewide law as a major step toward more dignity and safety for workers whose labor often happens out of public view. Employers with household staff have until mid-2027 to update agreements and payroll practices to match the new standards, and once the law kicks in, workers with concerns will be able to reach out to the Department of Labor & Industries with questions or complaints about violations.
