Latest Announcements

Reorganization of the Public Employees' Collective Bargaining Act, Chapter 41.56 RCW — August 2025

The Washington State Legislature enacted Senate Bill 5435, which reorganized and added subchapter headings to chapter 41.56 RCW. The chapter is now divided by topic, including

• General Provisions (definitions, unfair labor practice provisions, and the general rights of employees)
• Application and Scope of Bargaining (statutes granting rights to some, but not all, of the employees subject to the act)
• Representation Determinations (election and card check provisions)
• Negotiations and Arbitration (mediation and grievance arbitration provisions)
• Institutions of Higher Education (statutes granting rights to employees at the higher education institutions)
• Interest Arbitration
• Chapter Construction and Limitations

Because the Office of the Code Reviser has a rule that statute numbers will not be reused, almost every statute now has a new number.

We have prepared two documents that identify and cross-reference the old and new statute numbers, one document numerically sorted by original statutes and the other sorted numerically by the new statutes. The official version is available on the legislature’s website. 

Applications for Appointment to the Law Enforcement Arbitrator Roster — August 2025

RCW 41.58.070 governs disciplinary grievance arbitrations involving law enforcement personnel in Washington state. This statute also requires the Public Employment Relations Commission to maintain a roster of 9 to 18 arbitrators to arbitrate those grievances.

PERC is now accepting applications for appointment to the roster, and the commission intends to appoint at least six arbitrators at its January 2026 meeting.
 
To apply, please submit a cover letter, resume, and one sample award. Applicants who are not already on the Law Enforcement Arbitrator Roster or PERC’s Dispute Resolution Panel should also submit five letters of recommendation as specified in WAC 391-75-040. Applications should be sent to Vanessa Smith at vanessa.smith@perc.wa.gov by 5:00 p.m. PDT on September 15, 2025. 

2025 Law Enforcement Arbitrator Roster Fee Schedule Review — May 2025

At its meeting on May 12, 2025, the Commission conducted its annual review of the fee schedule for the Law Enforcement Arbitrator Roster pursuant to RCW 41.58.070(3). After considering the relevant data, the Commission kept the fee schedule as is.