Revised Code of Washington
Chapter 19.31 - Employment Agencies.
19.31.190 - Rules of conduct—Complaints.

RCW 19.31.190
Rules of conduct—Complaints.

In addition to the other provisions of this chapter the following rules shall govern each and every employment agency:
(1) Every license or a verified copy thereof shall be displayed in a conspicuous place in each office of the employment agency;
(2) No fee shall be solicited or accepted as an application or registration fee by any employment agency solely for the purpose of being registered as an applicant for employment;
(3) No licensee or agent of the licensee shall solicit, persuade, or induce an employee to leave any employment in which the licensee or agent of the licensee has placed the employee; nor shall any licensee or agent of the licensee persuade or induce or solicit any employer to discharge any employee;
(4) No employment agency shall knowingly cause to be printed or published a false or fraudulent notice or advertisement for obtaining work or employment. All advertising by a licensee shall signify that it is an employment agency solicitation except an employment listing service shall advertise it is an employment listing service;
(5) An employment directory shall include the following on all advertisements:
"Directory provides information on possible employers and general employment information but does not list actual job openings.";
(6) No licensee shall fail to state in any advertisement, proposal, or contract for employment that there is a strike or lockout at the place of proposed employment, if he or she has knowledge that such condition exists;
(7) No licensee or agent of a licensee shall directly or indirectly split, divide, or share with an employer any fee, charge, or compensation received from any applicant who has obtained employment with such employer or with any other person connected with the business of such employer;
(8) When an applicant is referred to the same employer by two licensees, the fee shall be paid to the licensee who first contacted the applicant concerning the position for that applicant: PROVIDED, That the licensee has given the name of the employer to the applicant and has within five working days arranged an interview with the employer and the applicant was hired as the result of that interview;
(9) No licensee shall require in any manner that a potential employee or an employee of an employer make any contract with any lending agency for the purpose of fulfilling a financial obligation to the licensee;
(10) All job listings must be bona fide job listings. To qualify as a bona fide job listing the following conditions must be met:
(a) A bona fide job listing must be obtained from a representative of the employer that reflects an actual current job opening;
(b) A representative of the employer must be aware of the fact that the job listing will be made available to applicants by the employment listing service and that applicants will be applying for the job listing;
(c) All job listings and referrals must be current. To qualify as a current job listing the employment listing service shall contact the employer and verify the availability of the job listing no less than once per week;
(11) All listings for employers listed in employment directories shall be current. To qualify as a current employer, the employment directory must contact the employer at least once per month and verify that the employer is currently hiring;
(12) Any aggrieved person, firm, corporation, or public officer may submit a written complaint to the director charging the holder of an employment agency license with violation of this chapter and/or the rules and regulations adopted pursuant to this chapter.

[ 2011 c 336 § 536; 1993 c 499 § 7; 1977 ex.s. c 51 § 8; 1969 ex.s. c 228 § 19.]