CERTIFICATION OF ENROLLMENT

HOUSE BILL 1625

Chapter 103, Laws of 2005

59th Legislature
2005 Regular Session



EMPLOYEE INFORMATION DISCLOSURE--EMPLOYER IMMUNITY



EFFECTIVE DATE: 7/24/05

Passed by the House February 11, 2005
  Yeas 92   Nays 6

FRANK CHOPP
________________________________________    
Speaker of the House of Representatives


Passed by the Senate April 6, 2005
  Yeas 48   Nays 0


BRAD OWEN
________________________________________    
President of the Senate
 
CERTIFICATE

I, Richard Nafziger, Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives of the State of Washington, do hereby certify that the attached is HOUSE BILL 1625 as passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate on the dates hereon set forth.


RICHARD NAFZIGER
________________________________________    
Chief Clerk
Approved April 21, 2005.








CHRISTINE GREGOIRE
________________________________________    
Governor of the State of Washington
 
FILED
April 21, 2005 - 3:09 p.m.







Secretary of State
State of Washington


_____________________________________________ 

HOUSE BILL 1625
_____________________________________________

Passed Legislature - 2005 Regular Session
State of Washington59th Legislature2005 Regular Session

By Representatives Clibborn, Condotta, Lantz, Armstrong, Morrell, Hinkle, Buri, Bailey, Grant, Pettigrew, Linville, Priest, Moeller, Simpson, Williams, Tom, Ericks, P. Sullivan, Darneille, Kilmer, Kagi, Hunter and O'Brien

Read first time 01/31/2005.   Referred to Committee on Judiciary.



     AN ACT Relating to employer disclosure of employee information; and adding a new section to chapter 4.24 RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   A new section is added to chapter 4.24 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) An employer who discloses information about a former or current employee to a prospective employer, or employment agency as defined by RCW 49.60.040, at the specific request of that individual employer or employment agency, is presumed to be acting in good faith and is immune from civil and criminal liability for such disclosure or its consequences if the disclosed information relates to: (a) The employee's ability to perform his or her job; (b) the diligence, skill, or reliability with which the employee carried out the duties of his or her job; or (c) any illegal or wrongful act committed by the employee when related to the duties of his or her job.
     (2) The employer should retain a written record of the identity of the person or entity to which information is disclosed under this section for a minimum of two years from the date of disclosure. The employee or former employee has a right to inspect any such written record upon request and any such written record shall become part of the employee's personnel file, subject to the provisions of chapter 49.12 RCW.
     (3) For the purposes of this section, the presumption of good faith may only be rebutted upon a showing by clear and convincing evidence that the information disclosed by the employer was knowingly false, deliberately misleading, or made with reckless disregard for the truth.


         Passed by the House February 11, 2005.
         Passed by the Senate April 6, 2005.
         Approved by the Governor April 21, 2005.
         Filed in Office of Secretary of State April 21, 2005.