Following a recent Washington Supreme Court decision, plaintiffs’ attorneys in Washington are targeting a new type of class action claim against employers: alleged violations of Washington’s noncompetition statute based on...more
5/2/2025
/ Class Action ,
Conflicts of Interest ,
Employee Mobility ,
Employee Rights ,
Employer Responsibilities ,
Employment Litigation ,
Employment Policies ,
Minimum Wage ,
Non-Compete Agreements ,
Restrictive Covenants ,
State Labor Laws ,
WA Supreme Court ,
Washington
It is a new year, which means new employment laws for employers in the Pacific Northwest. The following is a brief overview of significant new laws and changes for employers with Washington and/or Oregon employees....more
1/2/2025
/ Agricultural Workers ,
Compensation ,
Equal Pay Act ,
Exempt-Employees ,
Labor Code ,
Minimum Wage ,
Non-Compete Agreements ,
Oregon ,
Over-Time ,
Paid Leave ,
Warehouses ,
Washington
On November 15, 2024, a federal court in Texas vacated a U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) rule (the “2024 Rule”) that increased the minimum salary threshold for employees classified as exempt from overtime and minimum wage...more
AI in hiring: About 80% of U.S. and almost all Fortune 500 companies use AI-powered hiring software. AI may be used to target online advertising for job opportunities and to match candidates to jobs on employment platforms...more
On Thursday, June 13, 2024, in Starbucks Corp. v. M. Kathleen McKinney, Case No. 23-367, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that district courts must apply a strict, four-factor test when adjudicating requests for preliminary...more
On April 23, 2024, the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Wage and Hour Division (WHD) announced a final rule, “Defining and Delimiting the Exemptions for Executive, Administrative, Professional (EAP), Outside Sales and...more
The Supreme Court of the United States issued an opinion on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, that will make it easier for employees to pursue discrimination claims against their employers based on job transfers or other...more
4/19/2024
/ Adverse Employment Action ,
Civil Rights Act ,
Employee Transfers ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Discrimination ,
Employment Litigation ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Lateral Transfers ,
Muldrow v City of St Louis ,
SCOTUS ,
Sex Discrimination ,
Title VII
On June 6, 2024, new amendments to Washington State’s noncompetition statute (RCW 49.62) will go into effect, which place further limitations on the use of noncompetition agreements in Washington. Substitute Senate Bill 5935...more
The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) mandates that employers compensate employees for each hour worked. Nonetheless, the Department of Labor guidance permits rounding of employee time punches so long as, among other things,...more
2/7/2024
/ Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employees ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Litigation ,
Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) ,
Labor Regulations ,
Oregon ,
Rounding ,
State and Local Government ,
State Labor Laws ,
Timekeeping ,
Wage and Hour ,
Washington
On January 9, 2024, the U.S. Department of Labor (“DOL”) issued a new final rule, “Employee or Independent Contractor Classification under the Fair Labor Standards Act,” aimed at clarifying the distinction between employees...more
It is a new year, which means new employment laws for employers in the Pacific Northwest. The following is a brief overview of significant new laws and changes for Washington and Oregon employers (all effective January 1,...more
1/3/2024
/ Apprenticeships ,
Cannabis Products ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Exempt-Employees ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Labor Regulations ,
Marijuana ,
Minimum Wage ,
New Legislation ,
Non-Compete Agreements ,
Oregon ,
Paid Family Leave Law ,
Sick Leave ,
State and Local Government ,
State Labor Laws ,
Temporary Employees ,
Wage and Hour ,
Washington
This month, dozens of class action lawsuits have been filed in Washington, based on alleged violations of Washington’s Equal Pay and Opportunity Act. Employers recruiting or planning to recruit for any position in...more
As of June 27, 2023, employers must offer additional protections to employees affected by pregnancy, childbirth, or a related medical condition under a new federal law—the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (“PWFA”).
The PWFA...more
Effective June 9, 2022, Washington State’s Silenced No More Act (the “Act”) will prohibit nondisclosure and nondisparagement provisions regarding illegal acts of discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wage and hour...more
The Oregon Legislature recently passed a new bill (SB 169) that will have a major impact on the use of noncompetition agreements in Oregon. These amendments to Oregon’s existing noncompetition statute, ORS 653.295, will...more
Several new employment laws have taken effect as of January 1, 2021 in both Oregon and Washington. Below is a brief overview of the new laws impacting employers in the Pacific Northwest.
Washington - ...more
A recent New York federal court decision has called into question whether businesses may safely rely on Department of Labor guidance regarding the recently passed Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA). The FFCRA...more
As more workers begin to return to the workplace, it is expected that there will be an increase in the number of lawsuits related to employee contraction of the virus in the workplace. While the general rule in most states is...more