State laws / WA
Washington pay transparency law
What Washington employers must disclose in job postings, who's covered, and the penalty for non-compliance.
- Statute
- Washington Equal Pay and Opportunities Act
- Requirement type
- In-posting disclosure
- Effective
- January 1, 2023
- Applies to
- Employers with 15+ employees
- Salary range in postings
- Required
- Benefits description
- Required
- Penalty
- $500–$1,000 per violation
- Enforced by
- Washington Department of Labor & Industries
- Notes
- Requires both salary range and a general description of benefits. SSB 5408 (effective July 27, 2025): employers get 5 business days to correct a posting after written notice, with no damages for a corrected posting (for postings through July 2027); no liability for third-party postings made without consent; a fixed pay amount may replace a range. Branson v. Washington Fine Wine & Spirits (Wash. 2025): applicants need not be bona fide to sue.
Washington's Equal Pay and Opportunities Act asks for more than a number: since January 1, 2023, employers with 15 or more employees must include both a wage scale or salary range and a general description of benefits and other compensation in every job posting. A posting with a range but no benefits language is still a violation.
The Department of Labor & Industries enforces the posting requirement, with civil penalties of $500 to $1,000 per violation, and Washington also lets applicants pursue claims — which has made it one of the more litigated pay transparency laws. Employers hiring remotely into Washington should assume a posting open to Washington residents is covered.
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Frequently asked questions
Does Washington require salary ranges in job postings?
Yes. Since January 1, 2023, the Equal Pay and Opportunities Act requires employers with 15 or more employees to include a wage scale or salary range plus a general description of benefits and other compensation in every job posting.
Do job postings in Washington need to list benefits?
Yes — Washington is one of the states that requires a general description of benefits and other compensation in the posting itself, alongside the salary range. A compliant range with missing benefits language is still a violation.
Does Washington's pay transparency law cover remote jobs?
Yes, if the role can be performed in Washington. Remote postings open to Washington-based candidates are covered even when the employer has no office in the state, provided it has 15 or more employees.
Neighboring states
See every state’s pay transparency law or which laws reach remote postings.