TRC Companies $387,500-$562,500 Settlement Over Missing Pay and Benefits in WA Job Ads

The lawsuit centers on Washington’s pay-transparency rules, which require employers advertising jobs in the state to include a wage scale or salary range and a general description of benefits and other compensation. Applicants allege that TRC Companies Inc. and several related entities posted Washington-based openings without all of that required information during the period from Jan. 1, 2023, to Jan. 5, 2026—an era when states and cities have increasingly adopted pay-disclosure laws to reduce pay inequities and curb “guesswork” in hiring. The class action was filed to enforce the pay-transparency provision of the Washington Equal Pay and Opportunities Act (RCW 49.58.110) and to compensate people who applied to those postings without receiving the disclosures the law mandates. TRC denies wrongdoing but agreed to a settlement fund ranging from $387,500 to $562,500; after fees and costs, the remaining money will be split among valid claimants (estimated at about $1,635 per person, though it depends on participation). Beyond individual payments, the case is significant because it reinforces that job ads are not just marketing—they can be compliance documents—and omissions can trigger statutory claims even when applicants were merely seeking information needed to evaluate pay and total compensation. More broadly, this settlement fits a growing national pattern of litigation and enforcement around pay-range disclosures, similar to cases brought under New York City’s and California’s pay-transparency requirements, where plaintiffs often argue that missing or vague ranges undermine the purpose of these laws. For employers, the implication is that recruiting teams, third-party job boards, and HR compliance must align on how ranges and benefits are described across every posting that could be viewed by Washington applicants, because inconsistent templates or “one-size-fits-all” postings can create exposure across hundreds or thousands of applicants in a single class action.