Washington State Bans Employer-Mandated Microchipping of Workers

New law prohibits companies from requiring employees to get implanted with tracking devices

Published on Mar. 10, 2026

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The Washington state legislature has passed a bill that would ban employers from requiring workers to be implanted with microchips or other tracking devices. The bill, which is awaiting the governor's signature, would make Washington the 14th state in the country to implement such a ban. The legislation is aimed at protecting employee privacy and bodily autonomy, with supporters arguing that workers should not be compelled to accept invasive monitoring technologies as a condition of employment.

Why it matters

The bill reflects growing concerns about the potential for employers to use emerging technologies, like microchip implants, to monitor and control their workforce. Privacy experts have warned that such practices could lead to a 'slippery slope' of surveillance that disproportionately impacts certain groups of workers. The legislation is seen as a proactive measure to get ahead of a technology that has already been implemented by some companies, albeit on a voluntary basis so far.

The details

The Washington bill, HB 2303, would ban employers from requiring workers to be implanted with subcutaneous tracking chips. The legislation exempts medical devices used for diagnosis, monitoring, or treatment. While no U.S. companies currently mandate microchipping, some have offered it to employees on a voluntary basis, raising concerns about the potential for coercion. The bill's sponsor, Rep. Brianna Thomas, said she wanted to 'protect what happens inside people's bodies as it pertains to their workplace'.

  • The Washington state Senate unanimously passed the bill in February 2026.
  • The Washington state House of Representatives voted 87-6 to approve the bill in March 2026.
  • The bill is currently awaiting the signature of Governor Bob Ferguson.

The players

Brianna Thomas

A Washington state representative who introduced the bill to ban employer-mandated microchipping of workers.

Bob Ferguson

The governor of Washington state, who is expected to sign the microchipping ban bill into law.

Joel McEntire

A Washington state representative who questioned whether the bill was necessary to address a problem that doesn't currently exist.

Jessica Vitak

An information science researcher at the University of Maryland who praised the proactive approach of the Washington bill.

Michael Zimmer

A privacy and data ethics scholar at Marquette University who expressed concerns about the power imbalance between employers and employees when it comes to microchipping.

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What they’re saying

“We see it in a bunch of different avenues, like gender affirming care, reproductive justice—but technology just is the next new battlefield for losing charge of what goes on inside of you.”

— Brianna Thomas, Washington state representative (Fortune)

“Something like microchipping probably seems fairly innocuous, but it's a part of the slippery slope of surveillance that we don't necessarily know the future ways in which it could be problematic.”

— Jessica Vitak, Information science researcher, University of Maryland (Fortune)

“An employer requiring employees to do it is drawing a line—that's putting an unfair burden on employees to allow themselves to be tracked, and it's invasive and privacy threatening.”

— Michael Zimmer, Privacy and data ethics scholar, Marquette University (Fortune)

What’s next

Governor Bob Ferguson is expected to sign the microchipping ban bill into law in the coming weeks.

The takeaway

This legislation in Washington state reflects a growing recognition that emerging technologies like microchip implants pose significant risks to employee privacy and bodily autonomy, even if they are initially presented as 'voluntary.' By proactively banning employer-mandated microchipping, Washington is setting an important precedent for other states to follow in protecting workers from invasive surveillance and monitoring practices.