Two more bills from the 2024 legislative session are going into effect on July 1. Here we review those bills so cities can prepare for the coming changes to the law.

Expansion of Equal Pay & Opportunity Act: HB 1905 expands the Equal Pay & Opportunity Act (EPOA) to prohibit workplace discrimination against all “protected classes,” including gender, rather than only covering discrimination against women specifically. “Protected class” to include age, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, race, creed, color, national origin, citizenship or immigration status, veteran or military status, physical or mental disability, and the use of trained service animal by a disabled person.

The new law also creates a private right of action as an enforcement mechanism and requires the Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) to develop educational materials related to the expansion of the EPOA.

WA Cares Fund portability: HB 2467 makes a number of changes to the WA Cares Fund program, including:

• Permitting certain qualifying employees and self-employed people to continue participating in the WA Cares Fund long-term care program if they relocate outside of Washington.
• Permitting eligible beneficiaries who relocate out-of-state to access benefits starting July 1, 2030.
• Setting minimum standards for out-of-state entities providing services to out-of-state WA Cares Fund beneficiaries.
• Requiring the Department of Social & Health Services (DSHS) to develop rules on qualifying family members as caregivers for the purposes of compensation under WA Cares Fund.
• Prohibiting discrimination against any person based on race, gender, age, or pre-existing condition for the purposes of administering the WA Cares Fund program.