{"id":10471,"date":"2025-09-09T11:53:08","date_gmt":"2025-09-09T16:53:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.brightmine.com\/us\/?post_type=resources&#038;p=10471"},"modified":"2026-02-04T12:15:43","modified_gmt":"2026-02-04T17:15:43","slug":"washington-supreme-court-broadens-pay-transparency-liability","status":"publish","type":"resources","link":"https:\/\/www.brightmine.com\/us\/resources\/hr-compliance\/pay-transparency\/washington-supreme-court-broadens-pay-transparency-liability\/","title":{"rendered":"Washington Supreme Court broadens pay transparency liability"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignwide has-primary-white-background-color has-background has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-efae2095 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"border-radius:25px;margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);margin-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30)\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-7fc3d43a wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:70%\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-8e1436f2 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\" style=\"margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0\">\n<p class=\"\">by <strong>Emily Scace<\/strong>, <strong>JD<\/strong>, Brightmine Senior Legal Editor<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">The Washington Supreme Court has ruled that any job applicant may bring a lawsuit against an employer that violates the state&#8217;s pay transparency law, potentially opening employers up to an increase in lawsuits and damages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">The case, <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.courts.wa.gov\/opinions\/pdf\/1033940.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Branson v. Washington Fine Wine &amp; Spirits<\/a><\/em>, turned on the definition of job applicant under the law. Two plaintiffs applied for job openings in response to job postings that lacked pay information, then filed suit against the employer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">The employer argued that a plaintiff must prove that they are a &#8220;bona fide applicant&#8221; who has &#8220;an intent or genuine interest in obtaining a job&#8221; in order to have standing to sue under the law. But the court disagreed, reasoning that the legislature would have specified if it intended a definition of <em>job applicant<\/em> that diverged from the term&#8217;s plain meaning. An individual &#8220;need only apply to any solicitation intended to recruit job applicants for a specific available position,&#8221; regardless of subjective intent, the court held.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">In other words, any individual can gain standing to sue &#8211; and potentially obtain damages &#8211; by submitting a job application in response to a noncompliant job posting, regardless of whether the individual is interested in or qualified for the role.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">The decision is likely to have repercussions beyond Washington. Even employers that do not have a physical presence in Washington are covered under the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.brightmine.com\/us\/resources\/hr-compliance\/pay-transparency\/u-s-pay-transparency-laws-by-state-and-locality\/\">state&#8217;s pay transparency law<\/a> if they have any Washington-based employees or are hiring for a remote role that could be performed by a Washington-based employee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">The Washington pay transparency law is one of the strictest in the country. Enacted in 2022, it requires employers with 15 or more employees to include a pay scale and general description of benefits and other compensation in any job posting. Washington&#8217;s job posting requirements are more prescriptive than those in many other states with similar laws, creating ample opportunities for compliance missteps.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column lnrs-hide-block-on-mobile is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"border-left-color:var(--wp--preset--color--secondary-gray);border-left-width:2px;padding-left:10px;flex-basis:30%\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained wp-container-1 is-position-sticky\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-bleach-white-background-color has-background has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-a36fa716 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"border-radius:14px;padding-top:10px;padding-right:15px;padding-bottom:15px;padding-left:15px\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Navigate HR complexity with confidence<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">With Brightmine, you can build powerful people strategies, implement best practices and set your organization up for a brighter future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">Learn how our tools, resources and automation can empower you and your team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"\/us\/solutions\/?intcmp=cta|blog|solutions|learn-more\" style=\"border-radius:25px\">Learn more<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40);margin-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40)\">\n<p class=\"\"><a href=\"#top\">Go back to the top<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull has-primary-white-background-color has-background has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-bbb7e64f wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40);padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30)\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center has-large-font-size\">See our extensive HR resources and expertise<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size\">In an ever-changing regulatory environment, we have everything you need to stay in control and compliant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-a89b3969 wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-primary-white-color has-secondary-blue-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/hrcenter.us.brightmine.com\/freetrial-login\/?loggedInUrl=%2Ffreetrial%2Fnew-user%2F&amp;registrationUrl=%2Ffreetrial%2Fnew-user%2F&amp;intcmp=bottom|cta-single|light|banner|hrcentreuk-freetrial|start-your-free-trial\" style=\"border-radius:100px\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Start your free trial<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-primary-white-background-color has-background has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-fcdab8bb wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"border-radius:25px;margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);margin-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40);padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30)\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-large-font-size\">About the author<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:100px\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-thumbnail is-resized is-style-rounded\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.brightmine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/12\/06101413\/Emily-Scace-150x150.webp\" alt=\"Emily Scace, JD, Senior Legal Editor at Brightmine\" class=\"wp-image-7358\" style=\"object-fit:cover;width:100px;height:100px\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"\"><strong>Emily Scace, JD<\/strong><br>Senior Legal Editor, Brightmine<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">Emily Scace has more than a decade of experience in legal publishing. As a member of the Brightmine editorial team, she covers topics including employment discrimination and harassment, pay equity, pay transparency and recruiting and hiring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"\">Emily holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Connecticut School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts in English and psychology from Northwestern University. Prior to joining Brightmine, she was a senior content specialist at Simplify Compliance. In that role, she covered a variety of workplace health and safety topics, was the editor of the OSHA Compliance Advisor newsletter, and frequently delivered webinars on key issues in workplace safety.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-primary-white-background-color has-background has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-efae2095 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"border-radius:25px;margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);margin-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30)\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">You may also be interested in&#8230;<\/h2>\n\n\n<section id=\"resources-search-filter\" class=\"wp-block-brightmine-resources-filter has-text-color has-primary-gray-color has-background has-primary-white-background-color\">\n\n\n<div class=\"ajax-filter\">\n<div class=\"lnrs-resources-search-filter   \">\n\t\t<div class=\"search_terms_bottom\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"bottom_left\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"search_terms_result_count\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"bottom_right\">\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t<div class=\"loader-container\">\n\t\t<span class=\"loader\" style=\"display: none;\"><\/span>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\t<div class=\"lnrs-resource-filter-widget__container\">\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"lnrs-resource-hub-widget__resource\" style=\"background-color: #E9E7E4\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.brightmine.com\/us\/resources\/hr-compliance\/employee-leaves\/virginia-enacts-paid-family-medical-leave-program\/\"><div class=\"lnrs-resource-hub-widget__resource_image\" style=\"background-image: url(https:\/\/cdn.brightmine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/02\/22014959\/Baby-sitter-1200x627-1.webp);\"><\/div><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"lnrs-resource-hub-widget__inner_content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"content-top\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"lnrs-resource-hub-widget__categories\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"lnrs-resource-hub-widget__category\">HR News<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"title\" style=\"color: #000000\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.brightmine.com\/us\/resources\/hr-compliance\/employee-leaves\/virginia-enacts-paid-family-medical-leave-program\/\">Virginia enacts paid family medical leave program<\/a><\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"color: #000000\">Virginia has enacted a statewide paid family and medical leave (PFML) insurance program requiring employer and employee payroll &#8230;<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"lnrs-resource-hub-widget__resource\" style=\"background-color: #E9E7E4\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.brightmine.com\/us\/resources\/hr-compliance\/employment-law-updates\/dol-looks-to-simplify-joint-employment\/\"><div class=\"lnrs-resource-hub-widget__resource_image\" style=\"background-image: url(https:\/\/cdn.brightmine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/04\/24043719\/hr-professionals-discussing-policies.webp);\"><\/div><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"lnrs-resource-hub-widget__inner_content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"content-top\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"lnrs-resource-hub-widget__categories\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"lnrs-resource-hub-widget__category\">HR News<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"title\" style=\"color: #000000\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.brightmine.com\/us\/resources\/hr-compliance\/employment-law-updates\/dol-looks-to-simplify-joint-employment\/\">DOL looks to &#8220;simplify&#8221; 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Our experts answer common questions on race and ethnicity data collection, reporting changes, and &#8230;<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n<\/div>\n<\/section><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>An employer who violates Washington&#8217;s pay transparency law may face increased lawsuits and damages, following a ruling by the state&#8217;s Supreme Court that lets job applicants sue them.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":28,"featured_media":10472,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"wp-custom-template-new-resources","categories":[55],"tags":[],"topic":[67],"class_list":["post-10471","resources","type-resources","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hr-news","topic-pay-transparency"],"_lnrs_read_more":"","yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Washington Supreme Court broadens pay transparency liability<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Washington job applicants can now sue employers who violate the pay transparency law, potentially increasing lawsuits and damages.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.brightmine.com\/us\/resources\/hr-compliance\/pay-transparency\/washington-supreme-court-broadens-pay-transparency-liability\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Washington Supreme Court broadens pay transparency liability\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Washington job applicants can now sue employers who violate the pay transparency law, potentially increasing lawsuits and damages.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" 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