On August 5, 2024, the Washington Court of Appeals, Division One, demonstrated the difficulty for property owners to challenge a local government’s decision to pass the cost of city improvements to them. In SHG Garage SPE et...more
On December 12, 2023, Seattle’s former City Council passed Ordinance 126982 in an effort to increase commercial rent affordability for small businesses. The Ordinance, returned unsigned by the Mayor, became law on January 29,...more
In the last month of the most progressive Seattle City Council term in recent history, the Council passed an ordinance restricting a landlord’s right to use certain security measures for commercial leases in the City....more
The city council of Seattle recently added caste as a protected class to the city’s anti-discrimination laws. In doing so, Seattle becomes the first US jurisdiction to ban caste discrimination and the first in the world to...more
The Seattle City Council voted yesterday to pass a bill that adds “caste” to those classes of people protected from discrimination in various arenas, including employment, housing, and public accommodations. While a small...more
The Seattle Office of Labor Standards has released a Fact Sheet on the city’s Independent Contractor Protections Ordinance offering guidance on the implementation of new pay protections for independent contractors....more
If you have independent contractors in Seattle, immediate action may be necessary to comply with Seattle’s Independent Contractor Protections Ordinance, which took effect on September 1, 2022....more
For any business who uses independent contractors or has plans to hire an independent contractor who will be performing work in Seattle, an ordinance taking effect on September 1, 2022, impacts what information you must...more
October 25, 2021, the City of Seattle’s new local Verification of Vaccination Order went into effect, requiring and empowering local officials to require all patrons and customers (aged 12 years and older) to provide...more
This article follows an earlier article on hazard pay.... Hazard pay legislation is expanding nationwide at all levels of government. The growth in calls for hazard pay is the result of a shift in perception of the types of...more
As we wrote about in more detail here, the ongoing coronavirus pandemic has brought increased attention to the legal and practical distinctions between employees (who are entitled to various compensation and employment...more
Federal Agency Again Obtains Relief for Female Employees Harassed by Owner - SEATTLE - Two resorts near the Columbia River in Carson, Wash., have agreed to pay $570,000 and provide other relief to settle a sexual harassment...more