With the state Immigrant Worker Protection Act set to take full effect Oct. 1, the Washington Attorney General’s Office is rolling out guidance and materials ai
With the state Immigrant Worker Protection Act set to take full effect Oct. 1, the Washington Attorney General’s Office is rolling out guidance and materials aimed at helping employers comply with new workplace notice requirements tied to federal immigration inspections.
Under the law, employers must inform workers within five business days when federal agents have issued a notice to conduct an inspection of workers’ employment eligibility documents, known as I-9 forms.
Attorney General Nick Brown said his office is releasing the materials to support both workers and businesses as the new requirements take effect.
“This law establishes basic requirements to ensure immigrant workers in Washington are treated with respect and receive the same information as their employers about these inspections,” Brown said. “Our office will help businesses understand their responsibilities under this new law, as well as the rights of employers and workers when it comes to federal immigration enforcement.”
The Attorney General’s Office said it has issued guidance to help employers meet their legal obligations under RCW 49.97, along with materials for businesses, including a mandatory workplace poster and model notice forms in multiple languages.
The Legislature directed the AGO to produce several documents as part of the bill. The office said those documents were released today in English, Mandarin (Simplified Chinese), Russian, Spanish, Ukrainian, and Vietnamese.
The published materials include a required workplace poster informing workers of the notice requirements in the law, a model notice for employers to use to comply with the notice requirement, and guidance to employers on their rights as a business when immigration officials come to a workplace or request other worker records.
The AGO said it is reaching out to businesses, industry associations, and chambers of commerce to share the materials and offer proactive education about employer rights and responsibilities and the new requirements under the law.
Anyone may report concerns or possible violations of the Immigrant Worker Protection Act to the AGO by emailing IWPA@atg.wa.gov. More information about the law, the notice requirements, and employer rights and responsibilities is available HERE.
