• Employees in Washington state have many rights established by law.washington state image by Dawngo from Fotolia.com
  
  Washington state laws applying to employee rights and employers' obligations are detailed in several sections of the Revised Code of Washington. Minimum wage, absence from a job to serve military duty, protection from unfair hiring practices, family leave, and union membership are a few of the rights employees have in Washington.
  
  

Minimum Wage

• Employees have the right to earn the minimum hourly wage set by the state Legislature and detailed in RCW 49.46. Exceptions include newspaper carriers and prison inmates. The minimum wage is adjusted each year according to inflation; 14- and 15-year-olds can be paid 85 percent of minimum wage. Employees who work more than 40 hours in a week must be paid at least time-and-half for additional hours.
  
  

Unfair Practices Of Employers

• Employees in Washington state are protected from discriminatory practices in hiring, promotion, firing and compensation, under RCW 49.60.180. Protected classes include race, creed, color, sex, age, marital status, sexual orientation, national origin, military or veteran status, and sensory, mental and physical disabilities.
  
  

General Work Protections

• In Washington state, employees have the right to organize or join labor unions. State codes outline the requirements for hours worked within a standard day: eight hours for most employees, with exceptions for domestic employees and workers in health-care facilities. There are also provisions for wage complaints and employee benefit plans.
  
  

Employees With Military Obligations

• Employees or applicants can't be denied a job or any employment benefits due to their membership in the armed forces, or an obligation to serve in the military, according to RCW 73.16.032. Employers can't deny a promotion or terminate an employee simply because of the obligation to serve in the military.
  
  The state's military family leave act ensures the right for families of military members to spend time together after a notification of a call to active duty, or during a serviceman's return home on leave. Military spouses are entitled to 15 days of unpaid leave per deployment.
  
  

Extended Leave

• Employees have the right to extended leave from work for circumstances of domestic violence, military service and family needs. Chapter 49.76 details the rights of employees to take 12 weeks of leave during a year for the birth or adoption of a child, or to care for an ailing family member. Employees are entitled to take reasonable leave to seek legal assistance or treatment, or to relocate because of domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking.
  
  

Safety Protections

• Protections to assure safe and healthful working conditions for every employee in Washington are outlined in RCW Chapter 49. These protections are intended to help them avoid the burdens of lost wages, medical expenses and decreased production. Specific safety requirements are detailed for workers in health-care settings, underground or crime prevention work, and those who handle asbestos.