Farmworker wage complaints in WA caught in state agency backlog, report finds

By: Aspen Ford

Outlets: Washington State Standard

Published: July 16, 2026

Words: 680

Last Updated: 5 days, 18 hours ago

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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 …

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