The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) has announced it will take on a new role in partnership with Washington’s Department of Health (DOH) regarding hospital staffing complaints starting July 1, 2025.
Covered hospitals made changes to their staffing committees beginning in 2024, and the result includes new procedures for handling staffing complaints.
Starting July 1:
- Standardized hospital staffing plans take effect. These plans document the number of patients assigned to nursing staff in a particular care unit. L&I will be included in reviewing certain health care worker staffing complaints.
- Health care workers can file complaints with their hospital staffing committee. The committee has 60 days to resolve the complaint. After that time, a worker can file the complaint with DOH. DOH determines whether it’s an issue of patient safety or labor rights. If it’s labor rights, DOH will refer the complaint to L&I.
- Some hospital staffing complaints may also include a complaint about meal and rest breaks or mandatory overtime. A worker can file these directly with L&I.
Over the next several months, L&I will tell you more about its involvement in hospital staffing. See DOH for more information on hospital staffing. Find out more about hospital and health care worker rights at www.Lni.wa.gov/HLS. Subscribe to the Healthcare Labor Standards e-mail distribution list to receive future updates, including opportunities to attend webinars.
Background
Engrossed Second Substitute Senate Bill 5236, a law passed in 2023, clarified labor standards and enforcement for health care workers. It focused on overtime and uninterrupted meal and rest breaks. It also involved staffing plans. The state Department of Health and L&I partner in overseeing the legislation. (Gena Cooper)