
Washington State’s Revised Personnel File Law—Effective July 2025
On May 13, 2025, Washington State enacted Substitute House Bill (SHB) 1308, which goes into effect on July 27, 2025. This new law amends RCW 49.12.240 and 49.12.250, significantly changing employer’s obligations regarding employee access to personnel files. It replaces prior Washington State Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) guidance and related Washington Administrative Code (WAC) rules, introduces new deadlines, and creates new risks for noncompliance, including a new private cause of action for employees against noncompliant employers.