Washington’s youngest workers are getting stronger labor protections under a bill that Gov. Bob Ferguson signed into law Monday afternoon.
Ferguson signed House Bill 1644 at a news conference at the Western Washington Sheet Metal Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee’s campus in DuPont in Pierce County.
State Rep. Mary Fosse, the bill’s prime sponsor, said during the event that no parent should need to worry that their kid could face serious injuries or death on the job. And no minor should “bear the scars of an employer’s failure to meet their responsibilities under law.”
“And it’s not fair to our youth — or to all of the really reputable good businesses in Washington state — that when bad employers repeatedly violate minor worker rights and safety, they are still allowed to employ minors,” the Everett Democrat said.
Fosse believes that other states will look to Washington as a leader in child-labor safeguards.
The lawmaker said in an interview after the signing that she’s proud of the bipartisan support the bill received. More than 42% of Senate Republicans joined Democrats in getting it passed, she said.
“We definitely had that focus of making sure our kids were protected and our workers were safe,” said Fosse, vice chair of the House Labor and Workplace Standards Committee. “And I can’t wait ‘til we do more policy along those lines.”
The governor said during the event that he doesn’t sign many bills, of which there are hundreds, out in the community. But this was one he wanted to underscore to help communicate its importance to the public.
Ferguson noted that one of his brothers is a machinist who’s worked in the fishing industry. His older brother, John, spends months away from his family and doesn’t get July 4 off, clocking in up to 16-hour days. Ferguson said that his sibling makes a big sacrifice to provide for his family.
The governor said he expects two critical things. No. 1: that his brother collects every cent he earns. No. 2: that John’s employer does everything in its power to ensure a safe work environment.
“If that’s not happened, that is ticking me off — I sometimes use more colorful language,” Ferguson said, prompting laughter. “And that’s my brother, but it’s all our brothers and sisters, right?”
The legislation aims to hold bad actors to account and to update outdated systems. It sets minimum fines, creates stricter penalties for child-labor violations, and bars employers with significant infractions from hiring minors. It also prevents contractors with revoked minor-work permits from placing bids on public works projects.
Before the Department of Labor and Industries can grant variances, it’ll be required to conduct site visits. Advocates say that the oversight process also will become more robust through the implementation of penalties adjusted to inflation.
The bill puts in place clear statutory standards for the revocation and issuance of work permits, according to a news release. More than 750 minors in Washington sustained workplace injuries in 2023.
Over the past decade, child employment has increased by nearly 50%, Fosse said. The number of child-labor-law violations and child-worksite wounds has grown, too. Such infractions range from the number of hours worked to violations of rest and meal breaks. Permanent and severe injuries have resulted.
“We want kids to have these work experiences and these educational opportunities, and we want to prepare them for the future — but we want to make sure that they’re safe,” Fosse said during Monday’s press conference. “Their workplace should be a place of opportunity, not tragedy.”
Fosse’s law takes effect July 1, 2026.
April Sims, president of the Washington State Labor Council AFL-CIO, noted that Monday, April 28 marked Workers Memorial Day, which honors those who’ve suffered or died on the job.
Sims highlighted the need for a renewed commitment to job safety, “especially now, while so many of our hardest-won workplace safety rights are under attack at the federal level.”
“We must stand together to fight back for employer accountability and worker dignity,” she said during the event. “Today, we write into law protections for some of our most vulnerable workers: our children.”
