RCW 43.43.815 Conviction record furnished to employer—Purposes—Notification to subject of record—Fees—Limitations—Injunctive relief, damages, attorneys' fees—Disclaimer of liability—Rules.

(1) Notwithstanding any provision of RCW 43.43.700 through 43.43.810 to the contrary, the Washington state patrol shall furnish a conviction record, as defined in RCW 10.97.030, pertaining to any person of whom the Washington state patrol has a record upon the written or electronic request of any employer for the purpose of:

(a) Securing a bond required for any employment;

(b) Conducting preemployment and postemployment evaluations of employees and prospective employees who, in the course of employment, may have access to information affecting national security, trade secrets, confidential or proprietary business information, money, or items of value; or

(c) Assisting an investigation of suspected employee misconduct where such misconduct may also constitute a penal offense under the laws of the United States or any state.

(2) When an employer has received a conviction record under subsection (1) of this section, the employer shall notify the subject of the record of such receipt within thirty days after receipt of the record, or upon completion of an investigation under subsection (1)(c) of this section. The employer shall make the record available for examination by its subject and shall notify the subject of such availability.

(3) The Washington state patrol shall charge fees for disseminating records pursuant to this section which will cover, as nearly as practicable, the direct and indirect costs to the Washington state patrol of disseminating such records.

(4) Information disseminated pursuant to this section or RCW 43.43.760 shall be available only to persons involved in the hiring, background investigation, or job assignment of the person whose record is disseminated and shall be used only as necessary for those purposes enumerated in subsection (1) of this section.

(5) Any person may maintain an action to enjoin a continuance of any act or acts in violation of any of the provisions of this section, and if injured thereby, for the recovery of damages and for the recovery of reasonable attorneys' fees. If, in such action, the court finds that the defendant is violating or has violated any of the provisions of this section, it shall enjoin the defendant from a continuance thereof, and it shall not be necessary that actual damages to the plaintiff be alleged or proved. In addition to such injunctive relief, the plaintiff in the action is entitled to recover from the defendant the amount of the actual damages, if any, sustained by him or her if actual damages to the plaintiff are alleged and proved. In any suit brought to enjoin a violation of this chapter, the prevailing party may be awarded reasonable attorneys' fees, including fees incurred upon appeal. Commencement, pendency, or conclusion of a civil action for injunction or damages shall not affect the liability of a person or agency to criminal prosecution for a violation of chapter 10.97 RCW.

(6) Neither the section, its employees, nor any other agency or employee of the state is liable for defamation, invasion of privacy, negligence, or any other claim in connection with any dissemination of information pursuant to this section or RCW 43.43.760.

(7) The Washington state patrol may adopt rules and forms to implement this section and to provide for security and privacy of information disseminated pursuant hereto, giving first priority to the criminal justice requirements of chapter 43.43 RCW. Such rules may include requirements for users, audits of users, and other procedures to prevent use of criminal history record information inconsistent with this section.

(8) Nothing in this section shall authorize an employer to make an inquiry not otherwise authorized by law, or be construed to affect the policy of the state declared in RCW 9.96A.010, encouraging the employment of ex-offenders.

[ 2009 c 549 § 5132; 1995 c 169 § 1; 1982 c 202 § 1.]