Department of Labor and Industries

(Runtime 1:06)Two central Washington companies, Pace International and Stemilt Growers, face a combined $650,000 in fines after a worker died from a lack…

(Runtime 2:09) The emergency rules protecting outdoor workers from wildfire smoke in Washington expire on September 29th. Farmworkers keep calling for…

El calor puede afectar gravemente a quienes trabajan al aire libre. Por el peligro que supone trabajar con calor extremo, el Departamento de Trabajo e Industrias de Washington, (L&I, por sus siglas en inglés), está elaborando normas permanentes para proteger a estos trabajadores. Por el momento, hay normas de emergencia en vigor hasta septiembre. Sin embargo, los trabajadores agrícolas del centro de Washington tienen opiniones encontradas sobre el cumplimiento de la normativa, mientras que los defensores piden que se aplique con más control.

(Runtime 3:49) Heat can severely affect outdoor workers. Because of the danger of working in extreme heat, the Washington Department of Labor and…

A Sumner, Washington seafood company that makes imitation crab and other products has been fined $56,000 in connection with a 2021 COVID outbreak that left one employee dead.

Washington on Friday became the second state in the Pacific Northwest in as many days to announce emergency rules that provide farmworkers and others who work outdoors more protection from hot weather in the wake of an extreme heat wave that is believed to have killed hundreds of people.

Three Mid-Columbia farms are among those receiving the biggest fines in the state from the Washington state Department of Labor and Industries for serious violations of agriculture regulations to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. More than 20 farms have been cited for inadequate COVID precautions, The Tri-City Herald reported.

Many of the county’s cases have spread in the small town of Brewster, where there is a large tree-fruit growing, packing and shipping industry. According to public health officials, there have been 885 positive cases in Okanogan County –– 518 in Brewster.

In a lawsuit against fruit-growing giant Stemilt, workers say allegations stemmed from a change in production standards set forth in the company's guest worker contract. A separate case involved a challenge to Washington's rules on farmworker housing and sleeping quarters during the pandemic.

One Anytime Fitness franchisee location in Yakima County has been fined nearly $10,000 for staying open despite not being allowed to operate given the county’s current operating phase. It’s the first business fined for ignoring Gov. Jay Inslee’s “Safe Start” measures.