Governor Jay Inslee signed ESHB 2076 into law on March 31, 2022, making Washington the first state to require minimum per-trip payments, paid sick leave, and workers’ compensation benefits for rideshare drivers. The law also...more
The Washington Legislature made several significant changes to the state’s Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) program during the 2021 legislative session that all Washington employers should know. First, as of July 25,...more
In Port of Tacoma v. Sacks, the Court of Appeals of the State of Washington recently held that all out-of-town employee travel time is compensable under state law. The decision confirms the Washington State Department of...more
10/5/2021
/ Appeals ,
Compensation ,
Employees ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Litigation ,
State and Local Government ,
State Labor Laws ,
Travel Time ,
Traveling Employee ,
Wage and Hour ,
Washington
Overview of ESD Audits -
The Washington State Employment Security Department (ESD) audits records of employers located in Washington to confirm that wages and hours are accurately reported and to ensure compliance with the...more
10/5/2021
/ Audits ,
Best Practices ,
Compliance ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Independent Contractors ,
Reporting Requirements ,
State and Local Government ,
State Labor Laws ,
Unemployment Insurance ,
Wage and Hour ,
Washington
In 2019, Washington passed the first law in the nation requiring employees to fund a state-operated long-term care insurance program. The program, codified at RCW 50B.04 and set to begin on January 1, 2025, will be funded by...more
No one needs an introduction to the dominant theme of 2020 in the field of traditional labor law. The main story, as in nearly all fields of law, was the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on every aspect of American lives....more
1/14/2021
/ Absentee Voting ,
Biden Administration ,
Board of Directors ,
Congressional Oversight ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Joint Employers ,
New Legislation ,
NLRA ,
NLRB ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Proposed Rules ,
Proxy Voting Guidelines ,
Rulemaking Process ,
Union Elections ,
Unions
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) updated its guidance, What You Should Know About COVID-19 and the ADA, Rehabilitation Act, and Other EEO Laws, on September 8, 2020, to create a comprehensive guide for...more
9/22/2020
/ Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ,
Confidentiality Policies ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Discrimination ,
EEO ,
Employees ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Responsibilities ,
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ,
Guidance Update ,
Re-Opening Guidelines ,
Reasonable Accommodation ,
Rehabilitation Act ,
Screening Procedures ,
Virus Testing
The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry. Washington state’s 60-day legislative session ended on Thursday, March 12, 2020, after the rapid spread of COVID-19 around the state drastically changed the outcome of this...more
The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) recently announced significant revisions to Washington’s overtime rules for the first time in 40 years. The new rules will go into effect beginning on July 1, 2020,...more
12/31/2019
/ Department of Labor & Industry ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Exempt-Employees ,
Job Duties ,
New Legislation ,
Over-Time ,
Salaried Employees ,
State Labor Laws ,
Wage and Hour ,
White-Collar Exemptions
In Burnett v. Pagliacci Pizza, Inc., 442 P.3d 1267 (Wash. Ct. App. 2019), the Washington Court of Appeals held that the manner in which an employer communicates its arbitration agreement is crucial for determining whether it...more
With the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 (CCPA) set to take effect on January 1, 2020, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed amendments in October 2019 providing businesses some temporary shelter from the CCPA...more
11/4/2019
/ Amended Legislation ,
California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) ,
Cybersecurity ,
Data Collection ,
Data Protection ,
Employee Privacy Rights ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Independent Contractors ,
Opt-Outs ,
Personally Identifiable Information ,
Privacy Laws ,
Privacy Policy