Were you sexually harassed at work in Washington?
The Washington Law Against Discrimination may protect employees from workplace sexual harassment and retaliation. Deadlines, filing routes, and available remedies depend on what happened and which law applies.
You can request a review even if you are not sure whether the conduct legally qualifies, never reported it to HR, or still work for the employer.
Updated August 2026
- Sexual comments, messages, images, advances, or unwanted touching
- Pressure for dates, sex, or other sexual conduct
- Pay, scheduling, promotion, or job security tied to sexual conduct
- Retaliation after objecting or reporting
Washington's Law Against Discrimination (WLAD) lets workers sue directly in court, no agency filing required, within 3 years, and state-law remedies are not subject to the federal Title VII cap schedule, plus attorney's fees. The state agency window is just 6 months, but missing it doesn't end your case. Washington also voids NDAs that hide workplace harassment under the Silenced No More Act.
Sexual-harassment information by city in Washington
Select your city for locally relevant filing information, agency routes, and a case review with your state already selected.
- BellevueWorkplace sexual-harassment information
- SeattleWorkplace sexual-harassment information
- SpokaneWorkplace sexual-harassment information
- TacomaWorkplace sexual-harassment information
Washington at a glance.
- Statute
- Washington Law Against Discrimination (WLAD), RCW ch. 49.60
- Harassment covered at
- 8 or more employees for WSHRC jurisdiction (RCW 49.60.040).
More detail
Independent contractors are separately protected under RCW 49.60.030(1), and within Seattle the Office for Civil Rights enforces SMC 14.04 against employers doing business in the city. - Discrimination covered at
- 8+ employees (RCW 49.60.040(11)); religious/sectarian non-profit organizations excluded
- State agency deadline
- 6 months from the alleged act to file with WSHRC (RCW 49.60.230)
More detail
extended to 12 months for pregnancy-related, 2 years for whistleblower retaliation - Federal EEOC deadline
- 300 days (Washington is a deferral jurisdiction)
- Civil suit
- 3 years for direct WLAD suit (RCW 4.16.080(2) catch-all
More detail
Antonius v. King County), NO administrative exhaustion required (RCW 49.60.030(2) grants direct civil action; RCW 49.60.020) - Damages
- Actual damages with no federal-style statutory cap (RCW 49.60.030(2))
- State agency
- Washington State Human Rights Commission (WSHRC)
What may be available under the Washington Law Against Discrimination.
- Actual damages with no federal-style statutory cap (RCW 49.60.030(2))
- Injunctive relief
- Costs of suit + reasonable attorney's fees
- Contrast: federal Title VII caps combined compensatory + punitive at $50K-$300K by employer size
- NO administrative exhaustion, direct WLAD suit available (3-year window vs 6-month agency deadline; missing the agency window does NOT end the case)
- Independent contractors protected via RCW 49.60.030(1) + WAC 162-16-230, but must go the lawsuit route (they need a lawyer, not an agency form)
- Silenced No More Act (RCW 49.44.211, eff. June 9, 2022): voids NDA and nondisparagement provisions covering illegal discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wage violations, or sexual assault; $10,000 minimum statutory damages + fees; settlement AMOUNTS may stay confidential, underlying conduct may not; retroactive EXCEPT provisions in pre-2022 legal-claim settlement agreements
- Seattle: SMC 14.04 via SOCR, broader protected classes (caste, immigration status, political ideology), 18-month deadline, no immigration-status questions
Where to file in Washington.
Headquarters (Olympia)
711 S. Capitol Way, Suite 402Olympia, WA 98501
1-800-233-3247
WSHRC has no Seattle office. It operates from its Olympia headquarters, with offices in Spokane, Union Gap, and East Wenatchee. File online or by mail with Olympia HQ.
File with WSHRC ↗Deadlines are shorter than most people expect. Share what happened in about two minutes. The firm will review your submission and contact you about possible options and next steps. There is no cost or obligation to request a review.
Guides for Washington sexual harassment.
- Can I be fired for reporting harassment at work in Washington? →
- What do the numbers show about workplace harassment in Washington? →
- Should I sign a severance agreement after harassment? →
- How do I report harassment to HR in writing? →
- Can a former employer give me a bad reference because I complained? →
The same conduct can break more than one law.
What happened to you in Washington may also amount to a separate claim, with its own protections and its own deadlines. Each of these is worth checking before anything lapses.