Isolated Worker Protections

An isolated worker is defined as an employee who works as a janitor, security guard, hotel or motel housekeeper or room service attendant and spends a majority of their working hours alone without another coworker present. Washington law requires employers to provide panic buttons to these workers. The City of Seattle has a Hotel Employees Safety  Protections Ordinance as well.

Lodging operators must take required precautions to prevent sexual harassment and assault of isolated workers. Under Washington law, you must:

• Adopt a sexual harassment policy.
• Provide mandatory training to managers, supervisors, and employees to prevent sexual harassment, assault, and discrimination, and educate the workforce about protections for employees who report law violations.
• Provide a list of resources for employees to report harassment and assault.
• Provide a panic button to certain workers.

At a minimum, employers impacted by this law must provide employees with contact information for the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Washington  State Human Rights Commission, and local advocacy groups focused on preventing sexual harassment and sexual assault.

Policies and training for employees, managers, and supervisors

The Washington State Human Rights Commission has published guidance to assist organizations with creating sexual assault, sexual harassment, and discrimination policies and procedures, as well as training guidance. Employers cannot take any adverse action against an employee for exercising other protected rights under the law.

Employer-provided resources

At a minimum, employers impacted by this law must provide employees with contact information for the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Washington State Human Rights Commission, and any local advocacy groups focused on preventing sexual harassment and sexual assault.

“Alone” means outside of direct line-of-sight of coworkers or other personnel of the company they work for, such as in a separate room or building. For example, a team of two housekeepers working in hotel rooms next to or across the hallway from each other are both considered to work alone and must each be provided with a panic button.

Panic buttons

A panic button is an “emergency contact device” designed to be carried by the user to summon immediate on-scene assistance from a security guard, coworker, or other

employer-designated personnel. L&I has developed guidance for employers relating to the panic button requirement.

The Washington Hospitality Association has allied members who offer panic buttons and systems. They are Titan HST, Relay and React Mobile.

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Additional Resources