OLYMPIA — A deeply divided Washington Supreme Court on Thursday ruled 5-4 in favor of farm laborers, saying dairy workers in the state should have received overtime pay as part of the Washington Minimum Wage Act.
While the decision in a case brought by dairy workers, it appears the ruling will require all farmers to pay overtime. However, it’s not yet known whether those farmers will have to pay overtime retroactive to the suit’s filing , said Jay Gordon, policy director for the Washington State Dairy Federation.
“We are incredibly disappointed and are considering our options because this will be devastating,” Gordon said. “This puts Washington farmers at a massive disadvantage. This is the first court-ordered mandatory overtime for agriculture in the United States.”
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