The first-in-the-nation statute that will require Washington employers to deduct taxes from employees and remit them to the Employment Security Department is finally set to go into effect in just a few weeks, and it’s time...more
A new law in Washington state aims to protect warehouse employees by setting certain requirements for employers and warehouse staffing agencies. HB 1762, which Governor Inslee signed into law on May 4, defines and requires...more
5/22/2023
/ Adverse Employment Action ,
Anti-Retaliation Provisions ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Employment Policies ,
New Legislation ,
Notice Requirements ,
Quotas ,
Recordkeeping Requirements ,
Staffing Agencies ,
State Labor Laws ,
Warehouses ,
Washington
It’s hard to keep up with all the recent changes to labor and employment law. While the law always seems to evolve at a rapid pace, there have been an unprecedented number of changes for the past few years — and this past...more
5/1/2023
/ Artificial Intelligence ,
Automation Systems ,
California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Enforcement ,
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ,
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ,
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) ,
Mental Health ,
NLRB ,
OFCCP ,
OSHA ,
SCOTUS
The cannabis industry is growing at a rapid pace given the proliferation of states legalizing medical and recreational use. Indeed, most states already have a comprehensive medical cannabis program, and many are rolling out...more
4/14/2023
/ Anti-Discrimination Policies ,
Cannabis-Related Businesses (CRBs) ,
Decriminalization of Marijuana ,
Dispensaries ,
Drug Testing ,
Employment Policies ,
Labor Regulations ,
Local Ordinance ,
Marijuana ,
Marijuana Related Businesses ,
State Labor Laws ,
Trade Secrets ,
Unions ,
Wage and Hour ,
Workplace Safety
Seattle is not only a hotbed for the cannabis industry but also for cannabis industry employment protections. City officials signed three ordinances into law in 2022, each pitched as a way to promote equity in the cannabis...more
Hospitality industry employers know that scheduling the right number of workers on any given day – or shift – is a challenge. In addition to unpredictable customer patterns, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, labor shortages, and...more
Gig economy businesses may soon need to ensure all app-based delivery drivers working in Seattle earn the city’s minimum wage, which is currently $17.27 an hour. Under the proposed ordinance the Seattle City Council...more
Washington employers will soon need to include salary and benefits in all job postings thanks to an amended law that was recently signed into effect by Governor Inslee. Starting January 1, 2023, businesses with 15 or more...more
Washington employers are already prohibited from using employment agreements that restrict workers from disclosing claims of workplace sexual assault and sexual harassment – but will soon be unable to use nondisclosure...more
As we predicted, on February 10, 2022, Congress passed the "Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act" (the Act) with strong bipartisan support, thus amending the Federal Arbitration Act (FAA) to...more
Despite being described as “more deeply divided than ever,” Congress is poised to pass a #MeToo-inspired bill with bipartisan support that would prevent employers from enforcing pre-dispute arbitration agreements without the...more
Answering the question Fisher Phillips recently posed to Washington employers – to deduct or not to deduct – Governor Inslee signed into law on January 26 the bills swiftly pushed through the legislature that delay collection...more
Adding to the sea of troubles that employers faced in the year just gone by, the status of Washington State’s new long-term care payroll tax is now up in the air. Employers in the Evergreen State are now faced with a dilemma...more
Governor Inslee and Washington’s Department of Health have been busy the past two weeks modifying existing mask rules and enacting new vaccine requirements for certain classes of healthcare workers. There has been enough...more
8/25/2021
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Mandates ,
Governor Inslee ,
Health and Safety ,
Healthcare Workers ,
Masks ,
Public Health ,
Reasonable Accommodation ,
State Health Departments ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
Despite the CDC’s recent news regarding relaxed mask recommendations, those Washington employers eager to return to business as usual must still comply with Governor Inslee’s May 21 “Safe Workers’ Proclamation” and Washington...more
5/28/2021
/ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Responsibilities ,
Employment Policies ,
Governor Inslee ,
Health and Safety ,
High Risk Covid Employees ,
Interactive Process ,
Masks ,
New Guidance ,
Re-Opening Guidelines ,
Reasonable Accommodation ,
Social Distancing ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
Washington Governor Jay Inslee recently amended an executive proclamation that imposes certain workplace protection for high-risk workers during pandemic, granting employers some additional flexibility that will take effect...more
Hospitality employers face some of the strictest workplace safety requirements intended to address the COVID-19 pandemic under state, county, and or even city requirements. These include mandates for employee pre-shift...more
7/31/2020
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employee Privacy Rights ,
Employee Training ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Health and Safety ,
Hospitality Industry ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Sick Employees ,
Virus Testing ,
Wage and Hour ,
Workplace Safety
As an increasing number of businesses begin to require face coverings in their facilities – whether as a result of a local legal mandate or in the interest of public safety – there has been a corresponding increase in the...more
The restaurant industry has been severely impacted by state shutdown orders. As states start reopening businesses, it is vital to know the applicable rules that apply to your location or locations. Whether you operate a...more
7/1/2020
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Responsibilities ,
Food Service Workers ,
Health and Safety ,
Masks ,
Paid Leave ,
Re-Opening Guidelines ,
Restaurant Industry ,
Sick Leave ,
State Labor Laws ,
Virus Testing ,
Workplace Safety
Washington Governor Inslee just issued a restaurant/tavern guidance to help your business prepare for Phase II of his progressive, four-phase plan to reopen the state. These new guidelines allow restaurants to re-open for...more
5/13/2020
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Responsibilities ,
Governor Inslee ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Personal Protective Equipment ,
Public Health ,
Re-Opening Guidelines ,
Restaurant Industry ,
Social Distancing ,
Workplace Safety
Our Seattle office has continued to update our guidance to respond to commonly asked questions and local resources for Washington employers...
Do we have to close our business per the governor’s March 23 Proclamation?
It...more
3/30/2020
/ Business Closures ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Governor Inslee ,
Health and Safety ,
Hospitality Industry ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Public Health ,
Quarantine ,
Restaurant Industry ,
Retailers ,
Social Distancing ,
Workplace Safety
With Governor Inslee’s announcement Sunday evening that he would be issuing an Emergency Proclamation ordering the closure of restaurants, bars, and entertainment and recreational facilities, all Washington businesses have...more
3/18/2020
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Entertainment Industry ,
Governor Inslee ,
Health and Safety ,
Hospitality Industry ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Paid Time Off (PTO) ,
Public Health ,
Retailers ,
Unemployment Benefits ,
Wage and Hour ,
Workplace Safety
Washington’s Department of Labor and Industries just decided to substantially raise the state’s salary threshold to meet the salary basis test for “white collar” overtime exemptions. As set out more specifically below,...more
12/16/2019
/ Department of Labor & Industry ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Exempt-Employees ,
Minimum Salary ,
Misclassification ,
New Legislation ,
Over-Time ,
Salaried Employees ,
State Labor Laws ,
Wage and Hour ,
White-Collar Exemptions
By a unanimous 9-0 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court yesterday declined to extend California’s wage-and-hour laws to employees working on offshore drilling platforms subject to the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (Parker...more
6/11/2019
/ Appeals ,
Choice-of-Law ,
Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) ,
Federal Enclave Rules ,
Federal Labor Laws ,
Federal v State Law Application ,
Offshore Drilling ,
On-Call Employees ,
Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act ,
Parker Drilling Management Services Ltd v Newton ,
Preemption ,
Putative Class Actions ,
Reversal ,
SCOTUS ,
State Labor Laws ,
Unpaid Wages ,
Wage and Hour
Finding that “workforce mobility is important to economic growth and development,” Washington just passed a new law that will significantly restrict noncompetition agreements with both employees and independent contractors....more