WA joins two other states in providing benefits for striking workers

Washington became one of only three states in the country to provide unemployment benefits for striking workers after Gov. Bob Ferguson signed a bill into law Monday.

The new law, which goes into effect Jan. 1, provides up to six weeks of benefits for striking workers, after a waiting period of up to 21 days after a strike or lockout period begins. The law sunsets in 2035.

Notably one of the most contentious bills this session, it was opposed by businesses and Republican lawmakers in the state due to concerns about potential higher costs for employers and workers, as well as financial hits to the state Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund. In the end, labor advocates in one of the most heavily unionized states in the nation scored the win after multiple rounds of negotiations.

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