H-0442.1

HOUSE BILL 1533

State of Washington
66th Legislature
2019 Regular Session
ByRepresentatives Mosbrucker, Pettigrew, Corry, Goodman, Maycumber, Dye, Macri, Griffey, Kraft, Van Werven, Chambers, Walsh, Graham, Appleton, Blake, Doglio, Reeves, Stanford, Valdez, and Leavitt
Read first time 01/23/19.Referred to Committee on Labor & Workplace Standards.
AN ACT Relating to making information about domestic violence resources available in the workplace; adding a new section to chapter 50.12 RCW; and creating a new section.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1. (1) The legislature finds that domestic violence causes physical and psychological harm, broken families, economic loss, and other societal ills. According to the center for disease control's national intimate partner and sexual violence survey, about one in three women and one in three men reported experiencing intimate partner violence in their lifetime. In Washington in 2017, over fifty-four thousand domestic violence offenses were reported to law enforcement and forty-nine domestic violence homicides were committed.
(2) The legislature finds that the workplace may be the only location in which an individual experiencing domestic violence may be free from a perpetrator and feel safe. Individuals experiencing domestic violence may also find the workplace a place of shared confidences. Therefore, the legislature intends to shine the light on and help curb domestic violence by providing, in the workplace, contact information for community resources regarding domestic violence.
NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 50.12 RCW to read as follows:
(1) The department shall create an employment poster regarding domestic violence. The poster shall include space in which an employer shall provide the name or names of community resources regarding domestic violence. The employer shall post the poster and keep it posted in a conspicuous place where other required employment posters are posted. The department shall make the poster available on its web site and may make the poster available in other formats.
(2) This section does not create any liability for any person or entity for any acts or omissions.
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