Dear Friends & Neighbors,Â
It’s the last week of the 2023 legislation session and I am excited to welcome my first page Josephine Brunkan from Greenwood to the Capitol! The page program gives students the chance to learn and participate in the legislative process by attending page school, assisting offices, and working on the House floor. Applications are closed for this year, but visit the House page program website to learn more by clicking here. I’d love to sponsor you in future sessions!
Supporting Washington’s Working Families
I’ve dedicated my career to protecting the rights of workers, patients and consumers. That’s why it was an honor to be selected by my colleagues to chair the House Labor and Workplace Standards Committee. I’m proud of all that we accomplished to protect the health and safety of Washington workers and want to highlight top priority bills on their way to the Governor’s desk.
HB 1570 my bill to provide first-in-the-nation access to unemployment insurance and Paid Family and Medical Leave benefits to 35,000 rideshare drivers in Washington. This builds on the groundbreaking work we did last session to provide minimum wage, benefits and protections for these workers.
HB 1106Â to expand unemployment insurance benefits to working families who voluntarily quit their job due to challenges with childcare.
HB 1762 to require companies operating large warehouses to inform workers of their production quotas and to ensure that their employees do not work through their rest, bathroom or meal breaks to meet those expectations.
SB 5236 to establish hospital staffing committees to make sure our nurses aren’t being overworked and set financial penalties for violating staffing plans.
SB 5454 to expand access to workers’ compensation for our frontline nurses by creating a presumption of occupational disease for PTSD.
SB 5217 to allow the Department of Labor and Industries to set rules to protect workers from musculoskeletal-related workplace injuries.
Relief is coming for Washingtonians who have been asked to pay back unemployment insurance benefits received during the pandemic! Â
If this applies to you, Washington Employment Security Department will send you a letter within the next couple of weeks to let you know your overpayment is waived or how to apply for a waiver. Â
Questions? Call toll free at 800-318-6022.
As always, please keep in touch! Â
Best Wishes,
State Representative Liz Berry
36th Legislative District