‘Nearly Impossible To Get Ahead’: WA Ranked 40th For Labor Policy

Washington ranks 40th out of 50 states in the American Legislative Exchange Council’s third annual report on labor policies and how they impact worker freedom, economic growth and business competitiveness.

The conservative Arlington, Va.-based think tank’s “States That Work: A Labor Policy Roadmap Across America” highlights states where workers experience more economic freedom, contrasting them with those with what ALEC deems as “outdated mandates.”

ALEC’s report notes that “10 state-level labor policies were selected as consequential reforms that promote worker and workplace freedom, and these are listed on each state page as potential achievements. States that have passed substantial legislation consistent with these ALEC model policies receive a full gold star, increasing their overall Labor Policy Rank. States that have passed similar reforms in need of improvement receive half stars. States that have not passed the reforms or that have repealed them receive no stars.”

The 10 criteria include policies related to various aspects of labor and employment, focusing on limiting union power and reducing regulation.

Washington received one and a half gold stars. The Evergreen State’s full gold star is for House Bill 1301, passed by the Legislature in 2023 and signed into law by then-Gov. Jay Inslee, which established a sunset review process for professional licenses regulated by the Department of Licensing. The law created a system to regularly review and analyze existing professional licenses to determine their necessity and appropriateness.