House Bill 2611 (HB 2611), introduced by Rep. Shaun Scott (D), proposes slashing Washington's standard workweek from 40 hours to 32 hours by redefining overtime thresholds. Effective January 1, 2028, employers would be forced to pay time-and-a-half for any hours beyond 32 in a week, ostensibly to boost worker well-being.
While the bill's preamble waxes poetic about reduced stress, better family time, and enhanced productivity, the bill ignores basic economic realities. This isn't progressive policy, it's economic malpractice that will destroy small businesses, inflate costs, and stifle growth.
At its core, HB 2611 amends RCW 49.46.130 to trigger overtime after just 32 hours, down from 40. Exemptions exist for salaried workers, agricultural employees, truck drivers, and others, but for the vast majority of hourly staff in retail, hospitality, and manufacturing, this means a seismic shift. Employers face a Hobson's choice: cut hours to 32 and hire more staff to maintain output, or keep schedules at 40 and absorb massive overtime premiums.
Either way, costs skyrocket. The bill also tweaks paid sick leave accrual under RCW 49.46.210, shifting it from one hour per 40 worked to one per 32, accelerating benefits expenses.
Proponents claim this will improve morale and competitiveness, citing vague benefits from tech advancements. But let's call this what it is: total fiscal suicide. Washington already grapples with high labor costs, including the nation's highest minimum wage at $17.13 per hour. For a small business owner, as an example, a Seattle café operator, employing 10 full-time baristas at minimum wage, maintaining 40-hour shifts would add over $12,000 annually in overtime alone per employee (8 hours at 1.5x rate). That's $120,000 extra for the team, not counting payroll taxes or the faster sick leave buildup. Where does that money come from? Higher prices for customers, reduced services, or layoffs.
Nationwide trials of shorter workweeks, often voluntary in tech firms, show mixed results at best. But mandating it statewide is reckless. Productivity doesn't magically increase, it often drops as businesses scramble to cover shifts. Hiring more workers means added recruitment, training, and administrative burdens, costs that small employers can't absorb like the big corporations can. In rural areas, where labor pools are thin, this could force closures. And for workers? Fewer hours mean smaller paychecks unless overtime is chased, defeating the "well-being" goal. Ironically, the bill's agricultural exemptions highlight its hypocrisy, why spare farms but crush urban small businesses?
This one-size-fits-all edict ignores diverse industries. Public safety roles get partial carve-outs, but what about healthcare or logistics, already strained? Similar proposals in California estimated billions in added state costs for public employees alone. Washington taxpayers would foot the bill for government workers' overtime or hiring surges.
HB 2611 exemplifies Olympia’s detachment from reality. Instead of easing regulations to foster growth, lawmakers impose burdens that drive jobs out-of-state. Policymakers should reject this shortsighted bill and focus on real solutions: tax relief and incentives for innovation.
Washington's economy thrives on freedom, not mandates.
