Washington L&I Finalizes Rule on Safety and Health Retaliation
Rule updates replace “discrimination” with “retaliation” terminology and revise worker protection language in Title 296 WAC.
- By Stasia DeMarco
- Jan 07, 2026
The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) Division of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) has filed a Permanent Rulemaking (CR-103) updating state rules related to safety and health retaliation.
The rule was filed on January 6, 2026, and takes effect on February 6, 2026.
The adopted rule updates language throughout Chapter 296-360 WAC and other sections of Title 296 WAC that address protections for workers who raise workplace safety and health concerns.
Under the amendments, L&I replaced the terms “discrimination” and “discriminate” with “retaliation” and “retaliate” to better reflect the nature of complaints received from workers. The rule also updates the program name and contact information and includes additional grammar and housekeeping changes to comply with requirements from the Office of the Code Reviser.
According to L&I, the changes are part of a broader effort to use more accurate terminology when describing complaints filed by workers who report workplace safety and health hazards and are subsequently retaliated against, as outlined in RCW 49.17.160.
The CR-103 Rulemaking Order and adopted language rules are available on the Department of Labor & Industries website. Additional filing documents can be found on the agency’s rulemaking page.
About the Author
Stasia DeMarco brings a strong and varied journalism background to her role at Occupational Health & Safety, having previously served as a multimedia editor, broadcast journalist, professor and reviewer across major news organizations. As Content Editor, she writes news and feature articles, hosts sponsor and editorial webinars, co-hosts the SafetyPod worker health and safety podcast, and manages the brand’s digital and social media presence. She is committed to informing and engaging the safety community through compelling reporting and conversations that support safer, healthier workplaces.