(1) Parties to a collective bargaining agreement in existence on October 19, 2017, are not required to be subject to the rights and responsibilities under Title 50A RCW and related rules unless and until the existing agreement is reopened or renegotiated by the parties or expires.

(2) Employers must inform the department immediately upon the reopening, renegotiation, or expiration of a collective bargaining agreement that was in effect prior to October 19, 2017.

(3) To be eligible for benefits, an employee must have worked at least 820 hours during the qualifying period. If the employee's qualifying period includes any quarter prior to a collective bargaining agreement being reopened or renegotiated by the parties or expiring, the department will request the employee's qualifying period wages and hours from the employer. The employer must provide the wages and hours to the department within 10 calendar days.

(4) Employees not covered by a collective bargaining agreement are subject to the rights and responsibilities of Title 50A RCW and related rules. Employers are also subject to the rights and responsibilities of Title 50A RCW and related rules for employees not covered by a collective bargaining agreement, regardless of whether the employer is party to a collective bargaining agreement covering other employees.

(5) Employers party to multiple collective bargaining agreements among different bargaining units are subject to the rights and responsibilities of Title 50A RCW and related rules as they pertain to the bargaining units whose collective bargaining agreement is reopened or renegotiated by the parties or expires, on or after October 19, 2017.

(6) Parties to a collective bargaining agreement in existence on October 19, 2017, that has not been reopened or renegotiated by the parties or expired may elect to be subject to all applicable rights and responsibilities under Title 50A RCW and related rules prior to the expiration, reopening or renegotiation of the agreement. Parties seeking to do so must submit to the department a memorandum of understanding, letter of agreement, or a similar document signed by all parties.

(7) The provisions described in this section are effective until December 31, 2023.