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Washington State’s Partial Exemption for Employers with 10 or Fewer Employees

28 Sep, 2025 Frank Ferreri

                               
Compliance Corner

What rules apply to small businesses in the State of Washington? Simply Research subscribers have access to that information, which we highlight here.

Records Not Required

If a company had 10 or fewer employees at all times during the last calendar year, the employer does not need to keep injury and illness records unless DOSH, OSHA, or the Bureau of Labor Statistics informs the employer in writing that the employer must keep records under this section.

However, all employers covered by WISHA must report any work-related incident that results in a fatality, inpatient hospitalization, amputation, or the loss of an eye.

Size Matters

The partial exemption for size is based on the number of employees in the entire company.

To determine if the company is exempt because of size, the employer will need to determine the company's peak employment during the last calendar year. If the employer had no more than 10 employees at any time in the last calendar year, the company qualifies for the partial exemption for size

More than 10?

If the company had more than 10 employees at any time during the last calendar year, the employer must keep injury and illness records unless the establishment is classified as a partially exempt industry under.

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    About The Author

    • Frank Ferreri

      Frank Ferreri, M.A., J.D. covers workers' compensation legal issues. He has published books, articles, and other material on multiple areas of employment, insurance, and disability law. Frank received his master's degree from the University of South Florida and juris doctor from the University of Florida Levin College of Law. Frank encourages everyone to consider helping out the Kind Souls Foundation and Kids' Chance of America.

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