File a Complaint or Ask a Question

If you think that a household, individual, or business that hired you has violated your rights, you can make an appointment to talk to a member of our Enforcement Team. You can make a complaint by phone, email, in- person, or online. After you contact us, one of our team will reach out to you to schedule a time to talk.

During the appointment, one of our team will ask you questions about what you experienced and look at any records you have to see if there is reason to suspect that the household or business that hired you has violated the law.

Here’s what you can expect from us:

• Our team will never ask about your immigration status.
• We will speak to you in the language that you are most comfortable speaking or use the help of an interpreter. When you call, let us know that you prefer to use a different language.
• You can meet at the OLS office in dowtown Seattle, meet online, or by phone. If getting into the office presents a challenge, we may be able to meet you at another location in the community.
• You can bring someone with you as a support person during the appointment.
• We will ask you questions about what you are experiencing and will look at any documents that you have.
• The person(s) or business for whom you work will not be automatically notified that you are meeting with us.
• We will do as much as possible to keep your identity private. We cannot guarantee complete privacy because of State record disclosure laws. If you have concerns about this, we encourage you to visit us in person during your appointment. This can produce fewer records.

To schedule a time to talk to one of our team, visit this page: Worker Resources - File a Complaint - LaborStandards | seattle.gov

Retaliation is illegal!

Seattle laws protect workers who report labor standards violations from retaliation. It is illegal for a household or an employer to retaliate against you by:

• Informing or threatening to inform immigration authorities that you or a person close to you does not have immigration status;
• Filing a false report with a government agency; or
• Terminating or demoting you.

While OLS cannot guarantee that you will not experience retaliation for contacting us with a labor standards complaint, we can enforce penalties on households, individuals, or businesses who retaliate against workers.