If you move call center work out of the U.S.

The Call Center Jobs Act requires companies planning to move call centers out of the United States to notify the commissioner at least 120 days before the relocation. Learn the steps you need to follow.

The state Call Center Jobs Act affects employers with 50 or more employees who intend to move a call center outside of the United States. It applies when the move is for either:

  • A call center.
  • Facilities within a call center responsible for 25% or more of the typical month's volume of work.

Employers need to notify the Employment Security Department at least 120 days before relocation. After moving the call center, employers are not eligible for loans or grants from any Washington state agency for at least 5 years.

How to report a move

To notify Employment Security, send an email to ESDGPWorkforceInitiatives@esd.wa.gov. Include the following information:

  1. Company name.
  2. Physical and mailing address of the call center.
  3. Physical and mailing address of the headquarters of the organization, if different.
  4. Washington Unified Business Identifier (UBI).
  5. Company representative name and phone number.
  6. Date of the relocation.
  7. The proportion of all call center work moving out of the United States.

Penalties

Employers who do not notify Employment Security 120 days before the move may need to pay penalties. Those penalties will not be more than $10,000 per day of the violation.

Layoffs

If the move also involves layoffs, employers may also need to submit a WARN notice.