Wash. Rev. Code » Title 49 · Chapter 49.52
Revised Code of Washington

Wash. Rev. Code § 49.52.050 (2026)

✓ current as of May 2026
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Any employer or officer, vice principal or agent of any employer, whether said employer be in private business or an elected public official, who
(1) Shall collect or receive from any employee a rebate of any part of wages theretofore paid by such employer to such employee; or
(2) Wilfully and with intent to deprive the employee of any part of his or her wages, shall pay any employee a lower wage than the wage such employer is obligated to pay such employee by any statute, ordinance, or contract; or
(3) Shall wilfully make or cause another to make any false entry in any employer's books or records purporting to show the payment of more wages to an employee than such employee received; or
(4) Being an employer or a person charged with the duty of keeping any employer's books or records shall wilfully fail or cause another to fail to show openly and clearly in due course in such employer's books and records any rebate of or deduction from any employee's wages; or
(5) Shall wilfully receive or accept from any employee any false receipt for wages;
Shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
[ 2010 c 8 s 12055; 1941 c 72 s 1; 1939 c 195 s 1; Rem. Supp. 1941 s 7612-21.]

Notes:

Severability—1939 c 195: "If any section, subsection, sentence or clause of this act shall be adjudged unconstitutional, such adjudication shall not affect the validity of the act as a whole or of any section, subsection, sentence or clause thereof not adjudged unconstitutional." [ 1939 c 195 s 5; RRS s 7612-25.] This applies to RCW 49.52.050 through 49.52.080.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 257 cases (70 in the last 5 years), 1954–2026 · leading case: Schilling v. Radio Holdings, Inc., 961 P.2d 371 (Wash. 1998).
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Schilling v. Radio Holdings, Inc., 961 P.2d 371 (Wash. 1998). · cites it 18× “48, the Legislature mandated that employers pay employees all wages due upon the conclusion of the employment relationship and banned all withholding or diversion of wages by employers unless specifically approved by statute.”
Schilling v. Radio Holdings, Inc., 136 Wash. 2d 152 (Wash. 1998). · cites it 18× “In RCW 49.48, the Legislature mandated that employers pay employees all wages due upon the conclusion of the employment relationship and banned all withholding or diversion of wages by employers unless specifically approved by statute.”
Champagne v. Thurston Cnty., 178 P.3d 936 (Wash. 2008). · cites it 16× “Does the WRA provide a remedy for wages untimely paid in violation of former WAC 296-128-035? ¶ 17 Champagne claims that the County's practice of paying additional pay at *943 the end of the month subsequent to when it was earned violates the WRA. The WRA states, "[a]ny employer…”
Champagne v. Thurston Cnty., 163 Wash. 2d 69 (Wash. 2008). · cites it 15× “[w]ilfully and with intent to deprive the employee of any part of his wages, shall pay any employee a lower wage than the wage such employer is obligated to pay such employee by any statute, ordinance, or contract .”
Allen v. Dameron, 389 P.3d 487 (Wash. 2017). · cites it 16× “¶ 1 The United States District Court for the Western District of Washington asks us to answer two certified questions about the application of RCW 49.52.050, the wage rebate act (WRA), in circumstances of chapter 7 bankruptcy: Is an officer, vice principal, or agent of an…”
Wingert v. Yellow Freight Sys., Inc., 146 Wash. 2d 841 (Wash. 2002). · cites it 10× “RCW 49.52.050 makes it a misdemeanor for an employer to “[w]ilfully and with intent to deprive the employee of any part of his wages,.”
Wingert v. Yellow Freight Sys., Inc., 50 P.3d 256 (Wash. 2002). · cites it 10× “RCW 49.52.050 makes it a misdemeanor for an employer to "[w]illfully and with intent to deprive the employee of any part of his wages, .”
Ellerman v. Centerpoint Prepress, Inc., 22 P.3d 795 (Wash. 2001). · cites it 9× “RCW 49.52.050; .070. Ellerman again petitioned for review and we granted his petition.”
Clipse v. Com. Driver Servs., Inc., 358 P.3d 464 (Wash. Ct. App. 2015). · cites it 12× “¶7 Clipse sued CDS and Brunk, alleging discrimination and promissory estoppel, and seeking double damages under RCW 49.52.050 and .070. He alleged that CDS discriminated against him on the basis of a disability, contrary to the WLAD.”
Jumamil v. Lakeside Casino, LLC, 319 P.3d 868 (Wash. Ct. App. 2014). · cites it 15× “* ¶1 Ruby Jumamil appeals the trial court’s summary dismissal of defendant Noel Coon from her wage withholding and wage rebating claims and dismissal of defendant Doug West from her wage rebating claim under RCW 49.52.050 and RCW 49.52.070. Jumamil initially filed various wage…”
Dice v. City of Montesano, 128 P.3d 1253 (Wash. Ct. App. 2006). · cites it 11× “We reverse the court's denial of double damages to Dice under RCW 49.52.050 and .070. And we remand for further hearings to determine and award Dice additional fees and costs *1256 related to discovery, case preparation, and his double damages claims, but not negotiations,…”
Ellerman v. Centerpoint Prepress, Inc., 143 Wash. 2d 514 (Wash. 2001). · cites it 8× “RCW 49.52.050, .070. Ellerman again petitioned for review and we granted his petition.”
Show all 257 citing cases →
— Wash. Rev. Code § 49.52.050(1) — 23 cases
Jumamil v. Lakeside Casino, LLC, 319 P.3d 868 (Wash. Ct. App. 2014). “* ¶1 Ruby Jumamil appeals the trial court’s summary dismissal of defendant Noel Coon from her wage withholding and wage rebating claims and dismissal of defendant Doug West from her wage rebating claim under RCW 49.52.050 and RCW 49.52.070. Jumamil initially filed various wage…”
LaCoursiere v. CamWest Dev., Inc., 339 P.3d 963 (Wash. 2014).
Kitsap Cnty. Deputy Sheriffs' Guild v. Kitsap Cnty., 353 P.3d 188 (Wash. 2015).
Charles Peiffer v. Pro-Cut Concrete Cutting & Breaking, Inc., 431 P.3d 1018 (Wash. Ct. App. 2018).
Morgan v. Kingen, 210 P.3d 995 (Wash. 2009).
— Wash. Rev. Code § 49.52.050(2) — 138 cases
Champagne v. Thurston Cnty., 178 P.3d 936 (Wash. 2008). “Does the WRA provide a remedy for wages untimely paid in violation of former WAC 296-128-035? ¶ 17 Champagne claims that the County's practice of paying additional pay at *943 the end of the month subsequent to when it was earned violates the WRA. The WRA states, "[a]ny employer…”
Champagne v. Thurston Cnty., 163 Wash. 2d 69 (Wash. 2008). “[w]ilfully and with intent to deprive the employee of any part of his wages, shall pay any employee a lower wage than the wage such employer is obligated to pay such employee by any statute, ordinance, or contract .”
Schilling v. Radio Holdings, Inc., 961 P.2d 371 (Wash. 1998). “48, the Legislature mandated that employers pay employees all wages due upon the conclusion of the employment relationship and banned all withholding or diversion of wages by employers unless specifically approved by statute.”
Schilling v. Radio Holdings, Inc., 136 Wash. 2d 152 (Wash. 1998). “In RCW 49.48, the Legislature mandated that employers pay employees all wages due upon the conclusion of the employment relationship and banned all withholding or diversion of wages by employers unless specifically approved by statute.”
Ebling v. Gove's Cove, Inc., 663 P.2d 132 (Wash. Ct. App. 1983).
— Wash. Rev. Code § 49.52.050(4) — 1 case
Incident Catering Servs. LLC v. Nance (W.D. Wash. 2023).
— Wash. Rev. Code § 49.52.050(l) — 1 case
Jumamil v. Lakeside Casino, LLC, 319 P.3d 868 (Wash. Ct. App. 2014). “* ¶1 Ruby Jumamil appeals the trial court’s summary dismissal of defendant Noel Coon from her wage withholding and wage rebating claims and dismissal of defendant Doug West from her wage rebating claim under RCW 49.52.050 and RCW 49.52.070. Jumamil initially filed various wage…”
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