Olympia, WA — Housekeepers, janitors and other “isolated employees” in Washington state will receive additional safety protections under a new law set to go into effect Jan. 1.
H.B. 1524, signed by Gov. Bob Ferguson (D) on April 16, applies to employers in specific industries: hotels, motels, retail, security guard entities and property services contractors.
The legislation defines an “isolated employee” as someone who spends at least half of their working hours alone or who works in an area where two or more co-workers or supervisors are unable to immediately respond to a call of distress or emergency.
Among the key changes:
- Employers are required to provide each isolated employee with a panic button, and the employee must carry it when working. The devices need to be simple to activate without delays from passwords or system startup.
- Mandatory training for managers, supervisors and isolated employees that covers the prevention of sexual assault, sexual harassment and sexual discrimination. Employees also must be trained on how to use the panic buttons and inform managers of their responsibility to respond when a button is used.
- Employers must document the completion of the required training and maintain records of the purchase and use of panic buttons. These records must be made available to the Department of Labor & Industries upon request. Additionally, property services contractors must submit annual reports to L&I.
- Employers will be required to provide a list of resources to isolated employees. At a minimum, the list must include contact information for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Washington State Human Rights Commission, and local advocacy groups focused on preventing sexual harassment and assault.
A $1,000 fine will be assessed to employers for each willful violation of the law. Repeat willful offenders could be fined between $2,000 and $10,000.
