Washington Amends Pay Transparency Law

On May 20, 2025, Washington amended the Equal Pay and Opportunities Act (EPOA) to allow employers to correct job postings that do not comply with the law’s pay transparency requirements until July 27, 2027, and limit potential damages, among other changes. The amendment takes effect July 27, 2025.

Background
Beginning in 2023, Washington’s EPOA has required employers with 15 or more employees to disclose in all job postings the wage scale or salary range and a general description of all benefits and other compensation for the position.

Amendment Overview
The amendment makes the following changes to the EPOA:

• Five-day cure period—From the effective date through July 27, 2027, employers will have five business days to correct a posting after receiving notice that the posting does not comply with the EPOA. Employers who make such corrections will not be subject to penalties;
• No liability for unauthorized third-party postings—Employers will not be liable for unauthorized third-party postings that are digitally replicated and published without the employer’s consent;
• Fixed wage amount—Where an employer is only offering a fixed wage amount for a position or promotion, that may include such amount in lieu of a wage range; and
• Clarification of exclusive remedies—The amendment clarifies that the exclusive remedies for noncompliance are either:
  • Administrative remedies, including civil penalties of up to $1,000 and statutory damages of $100 to $5,000 per violation; or
  • Civil actions for statutory damages of $100 to $5,000 per violation.

Employer Takeaways
Although the amendment provides greater opportunities for employers to correct violations and reduces potential penalties for noncompliant postings, employers should continue to ensure compliance with the EPOA’s pay transparency requirements