Isolated Employees Get New Protections Starting January

With the new year comes new laws that people should know about as it may affect them or something they know.

This year features laws about grocery bags, fishing endorsements, and more.

One of the new laws is put into place at the benefit of anyone employee who may find themselves working alone.

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The new SSHB 1524 Isolated Employees — Workplace Standards went into place January 1, 2026.

This bill allows people who are often working alone to have safety measures in place to protect them from potential harm, especially if they work independently though others may be in the same building.

Employees like hotel clerks, janitors, security guards, housekeeping attendants for hotels and motels, room service attendants, and many more.

For these types of places, a few things will be put in place if there isn't already something in place.

This includes a sexual harassment policy, mandatory training for managers, employees and people in charge to prevent sexual harassment and sexual discrimination, a list of resources to all employees and the inclusion of a panic button to each employee.

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The panic button is something that is portable and something that can activate immediately without a password or anything. This button can alert other employees who are in the same building and would help them track their location to where they are.

Failure to have this in place could mean a $1,000 fine for first time offending with a $2,000-$10,000 fine for repeat offending.

Read more about this new senate bill.