Hotel, motel, retail, security guard, and property services contractor employers employing at least one isolated employee must:

  • Provide a panic button to isolated employees.
  • Adopt a sexual harassment policy.
  • Provide a resource with contact information for the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), Washington State Human Rights Commission (WSHRC), and local advocacy groups focused on preventing sexual harassment and assault.
  • Provide training to managers, supervisors, and isolated employees on:
    • Prevention of sexual harassment, assault, and discrimination
    • How to use and respond to panic buttons
    • Protections for employees who report law violations

Mandatory training of employees must be documented and the documentation must be provided to Labor and Industries upon request.

An isolated worker is defined as an employee who works as a: janitor, security guard, hotel or motel housekeeper, or room service attendant and spends a majority of their working hours alone without another coworker present.

More specifically, an employee is considered "isolated" if they:

    • Work in an area where help isn’t immediately available, meaning two or more coworkers, supervisors, or a combination of both are not nearby and can't immediately respond in an emergency unless the employee calls for assistance.
    • Spend at least 50% of their working hours without a supervisor or coworker physically present.

Additional reporting requirements exist for property services contractors.

Law Information

Policies and training for employees, managers, and supervisors

The Washington State Human Rights Commission has published guidance to assist organizations with creating sexual assault, sexual harassment, and discrimination policies and procedures as well as training guidance.

Employers cannot take any adverse action against an employee for exercising other protected rights under the law.

Resources

At a minimum, employers impacted by this law must provide employees with contact information for the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Washington State Human Rights Commission, and local advocacy groups focused on preventing sexual harassment and sexual assault.

Panic buttons

A panic button is an “emergency contact device” designed to be carried by the user and to summon immediate on-scene assistance from a security guard, coworker, or other employer-designated personnel.

A panic button must:

  • Be designed to be carried by the isolated employee;
  • Be simple to activate without delays caused by entering passwords, clicking through multiple screens/applications, or waiting for the system to turn on;
  • Provide an effective signal for the circumstances when activated;
  • Be able to summon immediate assistance and allow responders to accurately identify the isolated employee's specific location; and
  • Reliably work in all locations where work is performed and during all shifts.

L&I has developed and published guidance for employers relating to the panic button requirement.

Additional requirements for property services contractors

A property services contractors are janitorial entities. RCW 49.60.515 defines “property services contractor” as any person or entity that employs workers to provide commercial janitorial services for another person, or on behalf of an employer to provide commercial janitorial services.

In addition to the requirements listed above, property services contractors are also required to submit the following information to L&I at least annually, no later than January 31, 2027 and each January 31st thereafter:

  • The date their sexual harassment policy was adopted.
  • The number of managers, supervisors, and employees trained on the policy in the previous calendar year.
  • The physical address of the work location or locations at which janitorial services are provided in the previous calendar year by workers of the property services contractor and for each location:
    • The total number of workers or contractors of the property services contractor who perform janitorial services.
    • The total hours worked.

Property services contractors are able to submit this information through the My L&I portal each quarter.

Isolated Worker Protections reporting guide: L&I has written a step-by-step guide on how to use the online application for reporting the information required by the law.

For Employers

Assistance for employers

  • Request an individual presentation: L&I provides free webinars to individual organizations. To schedule a webinar, send your request email at isolatedworkers@lni.wa.gov and put “Isolated Worker Webinar” in the subject line.
  • Register to attend a public webinar: You can register for an Isolated Worker public webinar at L&I’s calendar of workshops, events and webinars. Look for “Isolated Worker Protections (Webinar)” in the “Event Title” pull-down menu.
  • Request Isolated Worker employer consultation: L&I also offers free customized consultations to help employers understand the impact RCW 49.60.515 may have on their organization, identify possible risks, and provide proactive recommendations for future compliance. To request a consultation, please contact isolatedworkers@lni.wa.gov.
    • This fact sheet provides details on the purpose of an isolated worker employer consultation as well as the benefits to employers and what L&I will provide during a consultation.
For Employees

RCW 49.60.515 helps protect isolated employees working as janitors, hotel/motel housekeepers, room service attendants, and security guards from sexual harassment and assault in the workplace. You also have the right to report any violations without fear of retaliation.

Employers of isolated workers are required by law to:

  • Provide a panic button to each isolated worker.
  • Implement a sexual harassment policy.
  • Conduct mandatory training for each isolated worker and the managers/supervisors of those workers on harassment, discrimination, and use of panic buttons.
  • Provide each isolated worker contact information for the Washington State Human Rights Commission, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and local advocacy groups focused on preventing sexual harassment and sexual assault.

Property services contractors employing at least one isolated worker must also provide certain training and work location details to L&I on an annual basis.

Protection for reporting violations
It is against the law for an employer to retaliate against you (such as firing, demoting, or disciplining you) for filing a complaint or participating in an investigation.

How to File a Complaint
Effective January 1, 2026, isolated employees have the following options to file a complaint:

There are multiple ways you can file an Isolated Employee Complaint form to report a violation:

What Happens After You File a Complaint
L&I will:

  • Review your complaint.
  • Contact you for more information if needed.
  • Investigate the employer if a violation is found or suspected.
  • If a violation is confirmed, L&I may issue a citation and civil penalty of up to $1,000 per willful violation or up to $10,000 for repeat violations. Employers may also be required to take corrective action.

Withdrawing Your Complaint
You may withdraw your complaint at any time. To withdraw a complaint, contact your assigned investigator.

Related Resources