Civil Rights

Washington Law

• Washington Law Against Discrimination: The Washington Law Against Discrimination covers employment, housing and other real estate transactions, credit transactions, insurance transactions, and public accommodations like schools, government offices, and businesses that are open to the public. The list of protected groups varies depending on the activity involved.
• Consumer Protection: The Consumer Act protects consumers from unfair methods of competition and unfair or deceptive acts or practices in the conduct of any trade or commerce.
• Workplace Rights: The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries enforces workplace rights like rights to minimum wage, timely payment of wages, rights to breaks, and the rules about payroll and personnel records.
• Insurance: The Insurance Fair Conduct Act (IFCA) protects insurers against illegal conduct by insurance companies.
• Public schools: Washington law prohibits discrimination in public schools on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, honorably discharged veteran or military status, sexual orientation including gender expression or identity, and disability. The Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction has a Nondiscrimination Policy and Procedure that includes its complaint and investigation procedure.
• Service animals: Under state and federal law, individuals with disabilities are allowed to bring service animals into places of public accommodation. An informational poster for Washington residents and businesses that explains the rights and responsibilities of service animal handlers and places of public accommodation is available here. En Español
• Service members: The Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA), protects members of the National Guard or military reserve in areas such as rental agreements, loan interest rates, foreclosure, eviction, and insurance. More information about veteran and military resources is available here.

Federal Laws

• Employment: Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits employers with 15 or more employees from refusing to hire, firing, or otherwise discriminating against an individual because of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.
• Education: Title IV of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination in public schools and institutions of higher learning on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, and religion. Other federal laws require schools to provide services to English Language Learner students and students with disabilities. Recipients of federal funds may not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, or disability.
• Housing: The Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in the sale, rental, and financing of housing based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, and familial status (pregnancy or having a child under 18).

• Voting: Federal laws prohibit voter discrimination on the basis of race, color, or membership in a language minority group. Federal law also has provisions specific to voters with disabilities and members of uniformed services.
• Public Accommodations: Title II of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination in hotels, motels, restaurants, theaters, and all other places of public accommodation. The Americans with Disabilities Act prohibits disability discrimination, including by requiring that government offices and places of public accommodation be accessible to persons with disabilities.
• Service animals: Under state and federal law, individuals with disabilities are allowed to bring service animals into places of public accommodation. An informational poster for Washington residents and businesses that explains the rights and responsibilities of service animal handlers and places of public accommodation is available here

Local Laws and Enforcement Agencies

Some local counties and cities in Washington have their own laws that provide additional civil rights protections within the jurisdiction.

• City of Seattle: Title 14 of the Seattle Municipal Code prohibits discrimination in employment, contracting, housing, and public accommodations. Seattle also has laws protecting rights to paid sick and safe time and that limit the use of criminal history information in employment decisions.
• City of Tacoma: Chapter 1.29 of the Tacoma Municipal Code prohibits discrimination in employment, education, credit and insurance transactions, public accommodations, and housing.
• Unincorporated King County: King County’s Office of Civil Rights investigates and resolves complaints of discrimination in violation of King County’s ordinances involving employment, housing, public accommodations, and public contracting.
• City of Spokane: Chapter 1.06 of the Spokane Municipal Code prohibits discrimination in employment and housing. Violations of the ordinance are punishable by a civil penalty in an amount up to $250.
• City of Bellevue: The Bellevue City Code prohibits housing discrimination, including against persons who use Section 8 vouchers to pay all or part of the rent. City of Bellevue Code Compliance Officers investigate complaints of Section 8 discrimination.
• City of Kirkland: The City of Kirkland Municipal Code prohibits landlords from refusing to rent to applicants solely on the basis of participation in the Section 8 voucher program. Kirkland’s Code Enforcement Program accepts complaints.
• City of Redmond: Chapter 6.38 of the Redmond Municipal Code makes it illegal to discriminate against Section 8 voucher participants in the rental of housing.