Attorney General Nick Brown has announced a new Worker Rights Unit that will focus on making sure workers in Washington get the pay and protections they are owed. This new team is especially important for private-sector workers, who usually have fewer workplace protections than public employees.
Brown said wage theft — when employers don’t pay workers what they earned — costs workers across the country about $50 billion every year. With the federal government cutting back on labor enforcement, Washington is stepping up to protect workers here at home.
State labor leaders praised the new unit.
Washington State Labor Council President April Sims said that strong laws don’t matter if they are not enforced. Working Washington Executive Director Danielle Alvarado added that the new unit shows the state is serious about making sure workers are treated fairly.
Washington already has strong labor laws, including a high minimum wage, overtime pay, protections against discrimination, and rules to keep outdoor workers safe from heat. But many private-sector workers — especially low-wage and immigrant workers — are afraid to report wage theft or other abuses because they fear retaliation.
The new Worker Rights Unit will work with the Department of Labor & Industries and Seattle’s Office of Labor Standards to help in cases where workers may not feel safe coming forward.
Wage theft is common and often affects women, immigrants, and people of color the most. The new unit will bring more power and resources to hold bad employers accountable.
The Attorney General’s Office is now hiring someone to lead the new unit.