An advisory jury’s substantial front pay award to a plaintiff in a retaliation case was drastically reduced by the judge....more
On January 13, 2022, the United States Supreme Court issued a stay of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (“OSHA”) COVID vaccine-or-test rule for large employers. Although the OSHA rule is effectively off the...more
2/3/2022
/ Biden Administration ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Mandates ,
Health and Safety ,
Human Resources Professionals ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Masks ,
OSHA ,
Vaccinations ,
Virus Testing ,
Workplace Safety
On May 21, 2021, the Washington Department of Labor & Industries (“L&I”) published new guidance regarding fully vaccinated workers. The new guidance will help employers adjust masking policies to meet the new Centers for...more
5/25/2021
/ Best Practices ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Policies ,
Governor Inslee ,
Health and Safety ,
Human Resources Professionals ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Reasonable Accommodation ,
Vaccinations ,
Washington ,
Workplace Safety
For the past year, Washington employers have been required to accommodate those employees characterized by the CDC as being at high risk of severe illness or death from COVID-19. Required accommodations can include allowing...more
5/4/2021
/ Best Practices ,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Policies and Procedures ,
Public Health ,
Risk Management ,
Sick Leave ,
Wage and Hour ,
Workplace Safety
The 2020 presidential election, coupled with nationwide civil unrest and a global pandemic, is creating a lot of conversation in employees’ personal and professional lives. In a February 2020 survey, employees reported...more
The legal landscape continues to shift rapidly during the COVID-19 pandemic. As we reported here and here, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) guidance allows employers to require employee temperature checks, as...more
Amendments to the Washington Paid Family and Medical Leave Act (“WPFMLA”) that went into effect June 11, 2020 include a new private right of action for employees. Under the WPFMLA, employers are prohibited from interfering...more
Governor Inslee has extended – until at least August 1, 2020 – his proclamation prohibiting all Washington employers from failing to provide accommodations to workers at high risk should they contract COVID-19....more
At midnight on May 31, Governor Inslee’s “Stay Home – Stay Healthy” order expired, replaced by his “Safe Start – Stay Healthy” order of the same day (“Safe Start Proclamation”). Under the Safe Start Proclamation, any county...more
Phased Reopening -
As part of his proclamation extending the Stay Home – Stay Healthy Order through May 31, Governor Inslee established a phased approach to reopening the state: Safe Start Washington....more
5/26/2020
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Responsibilities ,
Personal Protective Equipment ,
Re-Opening Guidelines ,
Return-to-Work Agreements ,
Screening Procedures ,
Social Distancing ,
Virus Testing ,
Workplace Decontamination ,
Workplace Safety
Much of Alaska will be allowed to reopen as of 8 a.m. on May 22. Governor Dunleavy has announced that the state will move straight from its current Phase II of the Reopen Alaska Responsibly Plan, which permits only limited...more
5/22/2020
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Responsibilities ,
Personal Protective Equipment ,
Re-Opening Guidelines ,
Return-to-Work Agreements ,
Screening Procedures ,
Social Distancing ,
Virus Testing ,
Workplace Decontamination ,
Workplace Safety
As restrictions are easing, employers are planning for and starting to bring people back to work. In these extraordinary times, everyone recognizes that things will not be business as usual. Here is our “Top 10” checklist...more
For at least the next two months, Washington employers are required to take extra measures to accommodate employees characterized by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to be at higher than normal risk of...more
With the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak impacting communities throughout the Northwest, the US, and the world, employers are preparing for a possible widespread impact to their workforce and, at the same time, trying...more
No sooner has Washington enacted two major new leave laws – the Washington Paid Sick Leave Law and the Washington Paid Family and Medical Leave Law (WPFML) – than the State has found itself to be one of the epicenters of the...more
Beginning January 1, 2020, Washington employees will have access to the benefits of Washington’s Paid Family and Medical Leave (“WPFML”) law, administered by the Washington Employment Security Department (“ESD”). Nearly all...more
Employers in the Ninth Circuit (which includes Washington, Oregon, California, Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Arizona, and Hawai’i) can no longer justify pay differentials between male and female employees based upon...more
Employers should remain on alert regarding the increasing trend towards more aggressive enforcement of worker safety standards demonstrated over the past year by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”)...more
On Monday, the Seattle City Council unanimously passed a “Secure Scheduling Ordinance,” set to take effect in July 2017, that will place substantial limitations on covered employers’ ability to flexibly schedule workers....more
The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015, signed by President Obama on November 2nd, contains a buried provision with the potential to substantially impact employers. Section 701 of the Act significantly increases the maximum civil...more