Farmworker wage complaints in WA caught in state agency backlog, report finds
Over half of farmworker wage complaints Washington’s Department of Labor and Industries received last year went unresolved past a 60-day statutory limit, according to a new report.
The preliminary findings presented by the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee indicate that the department’s investigative units are severely understaffed, contributing to backlogs.
For wage complaints, agency staff have the capacity to resolve 5,000 claims a year. The total number received last year was over 9,000 across all industries, the report found.
In 2022, the state Legislature ordered the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee to conduct three studies addressing farmworker needs. The final and most recent study examines how well the state enforces labor laws for farmworkers submitting claims.
https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2026/07/16/farmworker-wage-complaints-in-wa-caught-in-state-agency-backlog-report-finds/