January 30 is the deadline for urban/system (Track A) hospitals to submit quarterly meal and rest break compliance reports to the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) covering Oct. 1- Dec. 31, 2025.
L&I reviews compliance reports to ensure employers meet 80% of the required meal and rest breaks in a quarter for covered employees.
The report form and a guidance document on filling it out can be found on the L&I Health Care Labor Standards webpage by clocking on the “Medical facilities, hospitals” tab. Smaller hospitals to be included starting July 2026
Hospitals on a delayed reporting timeline (Track B) will submit their first meal and rest break compliance reports on Oct. 30, 2026 covering July 1- Sept. 30, 2026. This group includes:
- Hospitals with fewer than 25 acute care licensed beds
- Sole community hospitals independent of a health system
- Hospitals located on an island operating within a public hospital district in Skagit county
What’s next
L&I is finalizing a revised meal and rest break policy clarifying break waivers based on legislation approved in 2025.
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For questions or technical assistance, contact [email protected] or email L&I directly at [email protected]. (Gena Cooper)