Remove occupational license barriers to work for immigrants, offenders, and low-skill workers
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Key Findings
- Washington has the 11th highest percentage of workers with occupational licenses in the country.
- An Obama Administration report found that occupational licenses put the greatest burden on those who need jobs, especially low-income workers and immigrants.
- Research shows occupational licenses do little to protect consumers.
- Evidence in Washington state shows licenses are enforced primarily to block competition rather than to enforce health and safety guidelines.
- Washington should remove work restrictions on people with unrelated criminal records to help them find jobs.
- Washington should eliminate unnecessary licenses for low-risk professions. When not eliminated, rules should be reduced to allow workers to gain entry into an industry.
- Washington should recognize out-of-state licenses, which would aid military families who move frequently.
Introduction
For immigrants and low-skill workers looking for work, Washington state policymakers have erected barriers that make it difficult for them to achieve the American Dream. The state requires many people to get an occupational license, requiring them to receive hundreds, even thousands, of hours of training before they are allowed to work at jobs that frequently carry little risk. These strict and often unnecessary regulations lock people out of job opportunities, and there is bipartisan agreement that reform is necessary.
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