Before you ask your staff to form a Relay for Life team, attend a local charity auction or throw a holiday party, there are a couple of pieces of proposed legislation in Washington you might want to keep in mind.
Senate Bill 5446 and its companion, House Bill 1528, are intended to limit or prohibit employer communications about political or religious matters, including union activity. That means, if the bills pass, employers could not require workers to attend meetings or participate in workplace communication intended to influence beliefs or actions about political or religious matters, according to House and Senate documents.
It’s likely the legislation wouldn’t extend beyond workplace meetings and communication from employers.
State Sen. Craig Pridemore and Rep. Deb Wallace, both Democrats of Vancouver, support the legislation.
Both bills debuted in committee Jan. 22. Neither had hit the House or Senate floor as of press time. The Democratic Senate majority passed a substitute version of SB 5446 in the Labor, Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee Feb. 25. A substitute version of HB 1528 passed the Committee on Commerce and Labor Feb. 23, moving it to the House Rules Committee
If employers threaten or take adverse action against employees who don’t take part in their political or religious meetings or communications, the employees could sue for rehire or reinstatement of their former positions, as well as back pay and damages.
The legislation would not apply to religious organizations or to workplaces where political or religious involvement is part of normal operations.
But it could apply to employers who are personally involved with political campaigns or “political, social, community and labor or other mutual aid organizations,” the text of the bill said. The term “religious matters” is defined more broadly in the legislation as “all aspects of religious observation and practice, as well as belief.”
Wallace, who said she identifies as more of a moderate than a Democrat, said unions have voiced concerns with employers communicating with workers about inappropriate matters, but that it might be more of a national issue than one relating directly to Southwest Washington.
“There are laws in place that protect employees from harassment,” Wallace said. “Companies are probably already making good judgments about this, but if people think it’s an issue, let’s take care of it.”
Comment was not available from Pridemore before press time.
Opponents of the bill, such as Sen. Janéa Holmquist, R-Moses Lake, say the legislation is intended to keep employers from talking with workers about labor or management issues.
Its language is broad enough that it could potentially limit workplace charity drives, holiday parties and paraphernalia and even employee conversations and emails, argues Holmquist’s office.
Charity Thompson can be reached at cthompson@vbjusa.com.
