HOUSE BILL REPORT

EHB 1073

BYRepresentatives Vekich, Patrick, Wang, R. King, Prentice, Leonard, Sayan, Winsley, Jacobsen, Belcher, Jones, Miller and Wolfe; by request of Department of Labor and Industries

Extending industrial welfare laws for agricultural labor.

House Committe on Commerce & Labor

Majority Report:  Do pass with amendments.  (8)

      Signed by Representatives Vekich, Chair; Cole, Vice Chair; Patrick, Ranking Republican Member; Jones, R. King, Leonard, Prentice and Walker.

Minority Report:  Do not pass.  (2)

      Signed by Representatives Smith and Wolfe.

House Staff:Chris Cordes (786-7117)

Rereferred House Committee on Appropriations

Majority Report:  Do pass with amendments by Committee on Commerce and Labor.  (16)

      Signed by Representatives Locke, Chair; Grant, Vice Chair; Appelwick, Belcher, Brekke, Dorn, Ebersole, Hine, Peery, Rust, Sayan, Spanel, Sprenkle, Valle, Wang and Wineberry.

Minority Report:  Do not pass.  (8)

      Signed by Representatives Silver, Ranking Republican Member; Youngsman, Assistant Ranking Republican Member; Bowman, Doty, Ferguson, May, McLean and Nealey.

House Staff:      David Knutson (786-7136)

AS PASSED HOUSE MARCH 14, 1989

BACKGROUND:

Industrial welfare laws were first enacted in Washington in 1913 to establish mandatory employment standards for women and minor employees.  When this law was revised in 1973, it was broadened to provide employment standards for all employees, with several exceptions including agricultural labor. These standards regulate such working conditions as lifting requirements, deductions from wages, payroll recordkeeping, meal and rest breaks, and special conditions for minors.  The law is administered by the Department of Labor and Industries.

SUMMARY:

The exemption of certain classes of employees from the industrial welfare (employment standards) law is revised to extend industrial welfare coverage to agricultural employees, except for minors employed by a parent or step-parent in agricultural labor.

For agricultural employees, the Department of Labor and Industries is not authorized to require instruction in lifting techniques. Agricultural employers must display a poster illustrating lifting techniques.

The department may not require that an employer retain employment records for more than three years.

Fiscal Note:      Available.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    (Commerce & Labor)  Mark McDermott, Department of Labor and Industries;  Jeff Johnson, Washington State Labor Council; Tomas Villanueva; United Farm Workers; Lupe Gamboa, Evergreen Legal Services;  Ramon Aguilera-Mendoza; Maria Morfin.

(Appropriations)  None Presented.

House Committee - Testified Against:      (Commerce & Labor)  None Presented.

(Appropriations)  None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:    (Commerce & Labor)  Agricultural employees should have the same employment standard protections as other employees, including the right to rest and meal breaks and payroll stubs.

(Appropriations)  None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      (Commerce & Labor)  None Presented.

(Appropriations)  None Presented.