SB 6100
In CommitteeSenate
Wage disclosure corrections
Removing the sunset date for an employer's ability to correct wage and salary disclosures.
This status may be delayed. See Action History below for the latest updates.
How does a bill become law?
- Introduced: The bill is filed and assigned a number.
- Committee: A subject-matter committee holds hearings, takes public testimony, and decides whether to advance the bill.
- Floor Vote: The full chamber (House or Senate) debates and votes on the bill.
- Opposite Chamber: The bill repeats the committee and floor vote process in the other chamber.
- Governor: The Governor reviews the bill and decides whether to sign or veto it.
- Signed: The bill has been signed into law.
AI Analysis
This bill makes permanent the rule allowing employers to fix wage disclosure errors in job postings without being penalized, as long as they correct the error within 5 business days of being notified. It also continues requirements for employers to share wage ranges and benefit details in job postings and for internal promotions, and strengthens enforcement tools for violations.
- Removes the July 27, 2027 sunset date for employers’ ability to correct wage/salary disclosure errors in job postings without facing penalties.
- Requires employers to disclose wage scale or salary range (or fixed wage amount) and a general description of benefits in all job postings for positions they recruit for.
- Provides a 5-business-day correction window: if an employer receives written notice of a non-compliant posting and fixes it (and asks third-party platforms to correct it), no penalties or damages can be imposed for that violation.
- Expands disclosure requirements to include wage/salary ranges for internal transfers or promotions, upon employee request.
- Establishes administrative and private legal remedies, including statutory damages of $100–$5,000 per violation, civil penalties up to $1,000 for repeat violations, and attorney fees for prevailing claimants.
Who is affected
- Employers with 15 or more employees — Employers with 15 or more employees must ensure job postings include wage/salary ranges or fixed amounts and benefit descriptions, and must correct errors within 5 business days of being notified to avoid penalties.
- Job applicants and employees — Job applicants and employees can report non-compliant job postings, receive corrections, and pursue legal remedies—including damages and attorney fees—if employers fail to comply or correct violations timely.
- Third-party job posting platforms — Third-party job posting platforms (e.g., Indeed, LinkedIn) may be asked by employers to correct wage disclosure errors on their sites; they are not directly regulated but may be involved in remediation.
- Washington State Department of Labor & Industries — The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries will investigate complaints, facilitate corrections, and enforce penalties under the law.
Pro/Con Analysis
Potential Benefits (4)
Job applicants and workers gain greater pay transparency, enabling informed decision-making and reducing wage discrimination: Requiring wage ranges in postings and internal promotions helps workers compare offers, negotiate fairly, and identify disparities—particularly benefiting women, people of color, and low-wage workers who are most vulnerable to pay inequity.
FinancialPeopleRef: Sec. 1(1)(a), (2)The law empowers workers to enforce their rights through administrative and private legal action, with statutory damages and attorney fees: By allowing job applicants and employees to recover $100–$5,000 per violation and receive attorney fees, the bill creates a credible deterrent against noncompliance and lowers barriers to justice for individuals without legal resources.
Rights & LibertiesPeopleRef: Sec. 1(1)(b), (4)(a), (5)(a)The 5-day correction window provides a reasonable grace period that balances enforcement with fairness: Employers can fix honest errors without penalty if they act quickly, reducing the risk of disproportionate punishment for minor or technical violations—especially helpful for small businesses with limited compliance infrastructure.
Business & EmploymentPeopleRef: Sec. 1(1)(b)State enforcement via L&I centralizes oversight, reducing patchwork local regulations and ensuring consistent standards across jurisdictions: By keeping enforcement at the state level, the bill avoids a fragmented regulatory landscape and leverages existing agency capacity without requiring new local resources.
Local GovernmentPeopleRef: Sec. 1(3)
Potential Concerns (5)
Employers (especially small businesses) face increased administrative burden and legal exposure: They must monitor and correct wage disclosures within 5 business days of notice, risking statutory damages ($100–$5,000) and civil penalties ($500–$1,000) if they miss the window—even for minor or unintentional errors. This creates a compliance cost disproportionately burdensome for employers without legal departments or HR staff.
Business & EmploymentPeopleRef: Sec. 1(1)(b)Employers face heightened litigation risk due to private right of action and statutory damages: The law allows job applicants and employees to sue for $100–$5,000 per violation (including each non-compliant posting), with attorney fees awarded to prevailing claimants. This creates a strong incentive for plaintiffs’ attorneys to pursue class-like litigation, especially against employers with multiple non-compliant postings.
Business & EmploymentPeopleRef: Sec. 1(4)(a), (5)(a)The 5-day correction window reduces frivolous enforcement but does not eliminate liability for willful or repeat violations: While the correction safe harbor protects employers who act promptly, it does not shield those who ignore complaints or repeatedly fail to comply—potentially leading to inconsistent enforcement depending on how strictly L&I interprets “willfulness” or “repeat.”
Public SafetyRef: Sec. 1(1)(b)Mandatory wage range disclosure may reduce employer flexibility in negotiation and could discourage posting for roles where pay is highly variable or performance-based: Employers may avoid posting certain roles (e.g., commission-heavy sales, gig-adjacent positions) or opt for narrow ranges that misrepresent actual compensation, potentially limiting job opportunities for applicants in flexible or variable-pay fields.
Business & EmploymentRef: Sec. 1(1)(a)Civil penalties ($500–$1,000) go to the Supplemental Pension Fund, not general fund, limiting transparency and public accountability: While this avoids direct state budget impact, the lack of clear reporting on how these funds are used reduces oversight and may not meaningfully benefit workers as intended—especially since the fund supports pensions, which primarily benefit public-sector retirees rather than private-sector job applicants affected by violations.
FinancialRef: Sec. 1(4)(c)
Who Is Most Affected
Employers with 15+ employees face new compliance obligations and liability risk, but benefit from the 5-day safe harbor. Small and mid-sized firms bear disproportionate administrative costs; large firms can absorb compliance more easily.
Job applicants and employees—especially low-wage, women, and people of color—gain pay transparency and legal recourse, but may face retaliation or difficulty proving violations without documentation.
Third-party platforms are not directly regulated but may be asked to correct postings; minimal direct impact, though they may adopt automated compliance tools to reduce employer complaints.
L&I gains expanded enforcement authority but uses existing resources; no new funding required, but complaint volume may strain current staffing.