Washington state currently requires every hotel, motel, retail, or security guard entity, or property services contractor that employs an individual who spends a majority of her or his working hours alone, or whose primary work responsibility involves working without another coworker present, and who is employed as a janitor, security guard, hotel or motel housekeeper, or room service attendant to:
- Provide a panic button to each covered employee;
- Adopt a sexual harassment policy; and
- Provide mandatory training to the employer’s managers, supervisors, and employees to:
- Prevent sexual assault and sexual harassment in the workplace;
- Prevent sexual discrimination in the workplace; and
- Educate the employer’s workforce regarding protection for employees who report violations of a state or federal law, rule, or regulation.
Now, the state has modified the types of employees covered by the law to include any janitor, security guard, hotel or motel housekeeper, or room service attendant who (A) performs work in an area where two or more coworkers, supervisors, or a combination thereof are unable to immediately respond to an emergency without being summoned by the employee, or (B) spends at least 50 percent of her or his working hours without a supervisor or another coworker present. These employees are now referred to as “isolated employees.”
Employers of such isolated employees must now also inform isolated employees on how to use panic buttons, and inform managers and supervisors on the responsibility to respond to the use of panic buttons. A panic button must:
- Be designed to be carried by the isolated employee;
- Be simple to activate without delays caused by entering passwords or waiting for the system to turn on;
- Provide an effective signal for the circumstances when activated; and
- Be able to summon immediate assistance and allow responders to accurately identify the isolated employee’s location.
Additionally, an employer must maintain a record of the purchase and utilization of panic buttons provided to its isolated employees.
The amended law takes effect on January 1, 2026. Find more here.
