The state of Washington has enacted legislation (House Bill 1524), which increases certain employer's workplace safety requirements for isolated employees. House Bill 1524 takes effect on Jan. 1, 2026.
The details
Background
The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (DOLI) requires certain employers (all hotel, motel, retail, security guard entities, or property services contractors) to:
- Adopt a sexual harassment policy;
- Provide mandatory training to the employer's managers and supervisors;
- Prevent sexual assault, sexual harassment, and sexual discrimination in the workplace;
- Educate the employer's workforce regarding protection for employees who report violations of a state or federal law, rule, or regulation; and
- Provide a list of resources for the employer's employees to utilize.
House Bill 1524
The law provides the following definitions:
- An isolated employee is a worker who is employed by an employer as a janitor, security guard, hotel or motel housekeeper, or room service attendant and:
- A panic button is an emergency contact device carried by an isolated employee that allows them to summon immediate on-scene assistance from another worker, a security guard, or a representative of the employer that:
Employer Requirements
Under the law, all employers that employ one or more workers must:
- Provide to each isolated employee:
- Inform isolated employees during the mandatory training on how to use panic buttons, and train managers and supervisors on the responsibility to respond to the use of panic buttons.
- Maintain a record of the purchase and utilization of panic buttons provided to isolated employees and provide records to the DOLI upon request.
- Document completion of the mandatory training and provide the documentation to the DOLI upon request.
Note: A property services contractor must now submit information required under the law on an annual basis. See the text of the law for further details.
Next steps
Review workplace safety policies, training, and procedures, provide panic buttons, and train supervisors on the law's requirements by Jan. 1, 2026.