Rules and Semi-Annual Rules Development Agenda filed January 20, 2026



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The Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) updated its rulemaking website

Rules and Semi-Annual Rules Development Agenda filed January 20, 2026

For information on all L&I meetings and public hearings related to rulemaking, please visit our public participation calendar [ [link removed] ]. [ [link removed] ]



Division: Customer Service, Compliance, and Public Safety (formerly Field Services and Public Safety) - Contractor Registration Program

Topic: Proposal (CR-102) – Contractor Registration: Homeowner Recovery Program (2SHB 1534 Implementation - Phase 3)

Brief Description: The purpose of this rulemaking is to amend Chapter 296-200A WAC, Contractor certificate of registration renewals—Security—Insurance, to implement a new Homeowner Recovery Program. The program provides a safeguard and a path to financial recovery for consumers harmed by registered construction contractors. In 2023, the legislature passed Second Substitute House Bill 1534 [ [link removed] ] (2SHB 1534) (Chapter 213, Laws of 2023) concerning strengthening protections for consumers in the construction industry. The legislation directed L&I to establish a new Homeowner Recovery Fund and begin depositing all fines and penalties received or collected under Chapter 18.27 RCW to the fund by July 1, 2024. Beginning July 1, 2026, eligible homeowners can apply for recovery payments from the program for financial losses stemming from work by registered construction contractors. This rulemaking proposes new sections to administer the newly established program and ensure eligible construction consumers have access to the program’s recovery payments.

Public hearing date: February 26, 2026 (Tumwater/virtual/telephonic) [ [link removed] ]
Written comments due by: February 26, 2026, 5:00 p.m.
Intended adoption date: April 21, 2026

Additional information about this rulemaking:
CR-102 Proposal [ [link removed] ]
Proposal Language [ [link removed] ]



Division: Division of Labor Standards (formerly Fraud Prevention and Labor Standards) – Apprenticeship Program 

Topic: Proposal (CR-102) – Apprenticeship Rule: Specialty Electricians (ESHB 1533 Implementation)

Brief Description: The purpose of this rulemaking is to amend Chapter 296-05 WAC, Apprenticeship rules, to implement provisions of Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1533 [ [link removed] ] (ESHB 1533), Chapter 240, Laws of 2025, under Chapter 296-05 WAC, Apprenticeship rules. The new law, RCW 49.04.305, allows single-employer general journey level (01) electrical apprenticeship programs to use apprentices to perform work under their valid specialty electrician certificate without changing the apprentice’s status in the (01) electrical program, with some restrictions. To use the exemption, the employer must meet certain requirements including providing notices to the apprentices about the impact of the exemption, submitting quarterly reports attesting to apprentice’s hours worked, and providing the apprentice with at least 800 hours of on-the-job training hours that the apprentice needs to continue progressing in their (01) electrical apprenticeship. In addition, L&I is proposing to amend WAC 296-05-003(38) – “supervision” definition.

Public hearing date: February 24, 2026 (virtual/telephonic) [ [link removed] ]
Written comments due by: February 25, 2026, 5:00 p.m.
Intended adoption date: March 31, 2026

Additional information about this rulemaking:
CR-102 Proposal [ [link removed] ]
Proposal Language [ [link removed] ]
Preliminary Cost Benefit Analysis (CBA) [ [link removed] ]



Division: Division of Labor Standards (formerly Fraud Prevention and Labor Standards) – Employment Standards Program

Topic: Proposal (CR-102) – Equal Pay & Opportunities Protections and Guidelines (SSB 5408 & SSB 5501 Implementation)

Brief Description: The purpose of this rulemaking is to amend Chapter 296-123 WAC, Equal pay and opportunities, to clarify and implement the requirements of Substitute Senate Bill 5408 [ [link removed] ] (Chapter 383, Laws of 2025) and Substitute Senate Bill 5501 [ [link removed] ] (Chapter 115, Laws of 2025), which include the following labor standards:


* Updates wage and salary disclosure requirements under the Equal Pay and Opportunities Act (EPOA).
* Establishes restrictions on when an employer can require a valid driver’s license as a condition of employment or include a statement in a job positing that an applicant must have a valid driver’s license.

The proposed rules also revise the existing EPOA rules in Chapter 296-123 WAC by defining what an “applicant” is and by clarifying the applicability of the rules.

Public hearing dates: March 10, 2026 (virtual/telephonic) [ [link removed] ]
                                   March 12, 2026 (Tukwila) [ [link removed] ]
Written comments due by: March 12, 2026, 5:00 p.m.
Intended adoption date: April 21, 2026

Additional information about this rulemaking:
CR-102 Proposal [ [link removed] ]
Proposal Language [ [link removed] ]
Preliminary Cost Benefit Analysis (CBA) [ [link removed] ]



Division: Division of Labor Standards – Employment Standards Program

Topic: Expedited Proposal (CR-105) – Employment Records (SHB 1308 Implementation)

Brief Description: The purpose of the expedited rulemaking is to amend WAC 296-126-050 related to employment records. The proposed changes will align the rule with recent changes to Chapter 49.12 RCW by Substitute House Bill 1308 [ [link removed] ] (SHB 1308), Chapter 273, Laws of 2025. SHB 1308 expanded employee and former employees rights to access personnel records in a timely manner and provided remedies through a private right of action.

L&I determined that expedited rulemaking is appropriate because the proposed language adopts new statutory language from RCW 49.12.250 into rule without material change.

*Written objections due: March 23, 2026, by 5 p.m.*

Additional information about this rulemaking:
CR-105 Expedited Proposal [ [link removed] ]
Proposal Language [ [link removed] ]



Division: Insurance Services - Employer Services

Topic: Preproposal (CR-101) – Stay At Work Online Application

Brief Description: The purpose of this rulemaking is to consider amending Chapter 296-16A WAC, Stay-at-work program, to require submitting Washington Stay at Work (WSAW) applications online with an option to opt out.

Additional information about this rulemaking:
CR-101 Preproposal [ [link removed] ]



Division: Insurance Services - Legal Services

Topic: Adoption (CR-103) – Pension Discount Rate (PDR) 2026

Brief Description: This rulemaking amended WAC 296-14-8810 Pension tables, pension discount rate and mortality tables, to lower the pension discount rate (PDR) to better align with the rate of return for long term treasuries for self-insured pensions. The PDR is the interest rate used to account for the time value of money when evaluating the present value of future pension payments. This rule lowers the PDR for self-insured employers from 5.4% to 5.3%, effective April 1, 2026.

*Effective date: April 1, 2026*

Additional information about this rulemaking:
CR-103 Adoption [ [link removed] ]
Adoption Language [ [link removed] ]



Division: Government Affairs & Policy Division

Topic: Semi-Annual Rules Development Agenda

The Department of Labor & Industries filed a Semi-Annual Rules Development Agenda for January 1 through June 30, 2026, in accordance with RCW 34.05.314.

Semi-Annual Rules Development Agenda [ [link removed] ]








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Washington State Department of Labor & Industries · 7273 Linderson Way SW · Tumwater WA 98501
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