On April 15, 2024, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued its Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) Final Rule, scheduled to take effect on June 18, 2024. The Final Rule largely leaves in place the...more
4/24/2024
/ Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ,
Employee Rights ,
Employees ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Policies ,
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ,
Final Rules ,
Pregnancy ,
Pregnancy Discrimination ,
Pregnant Workers Fairness Act ,
Reasonable Accommodation ,
Title VII
Multiple new laws will take effect in Washington state beginning January 2024, bringing changes to the state’s minimum wage laws and adding requirements under the state’s Paid Sick Leave Law. ...more
Beginning in 2024, both Washington and California will prohibit employers from basing hiring decisions on an applicant’s legal marijuana use.
What Is Prohibited?
Effective January 1, 2024, employers are prohibited...more
11/20/2023
/ Drug Testing ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Policies ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Labor Reform ,
Marijuana ,
New Legislation ,
Off-Duty Employees ,
Policies and Procedures ,
Screening Procedures ,
State and Local Government ,
State Labor Laws
Beginning in 2024, both Washington and California will prohibit employers from basing hiring decisions on an applicant’s legal marijuana use.
What Is Prohibited?
Effective January 1, 2024, employers are prohibited...more
11/17/2023
/ Anti-Discrimination Policies ,
Cannabis Products ,
Drug Testing ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Policies ,
Governor Inslee ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Job Applicants ,
Labor Reform ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Marijuana ,
New Legislation ,
Off-Duty Employees ,
Policies and Procedures ,
Screening Procedures ,
State and Local Government ,
State Labor Laws ,
State Legislatures ,
Washington
The recently enacted Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) requires covered employers (i.e., public or private employers with more than 15 employees) to provide reasonable accommodations to “qualified” employees or candidates...more
9/11/2023
/ Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ,
Employees ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Policies ,
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ,
Labor Reform ,
Pregnancy ,
Pregnant Workers Fairness Act ,
Proposed Rules ,
Reasonable Accommodation ,
Undue Hardship
California’s Civil Rights Council (the Council), a branch of the California Civil Rights Department, issued proposed revisions, earlier this year, to the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) regulations governing an...more
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued Field Assistance Bulletin No. 2023-2 on May 17, 2023, to provide guidance to its field staff regarding enforcement of the Providing Urgent Maternal Protections for Nursing Mothers Act...more
7/11/2023
/ Breastfeeding ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employee Training ,
Employees ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Policies ,
Enforcement ,
Exceptions ,
Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) ,
Human Resources Professionals ,
Lactation Accommodation ,
New Guidance ,
New Legislation ,
Notice Requirements ,
Providing Urgent Maternal Protections for Nursing Mothers Act (“PUMP Act”) ,
Reasonable Accommodation ,
State and Local Government ,
Undue Hardship ,
Wage and Hour
The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB or the Board) recently reinstated setting-specific standards to determine whether employers have violated the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA or the Act) by unlawfully disciplining...more
Following delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) has finally revisited its indoor heat illness prevention standard (the Standard)....more
4/18/2023
/ Cal-OSHA ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employee Training ,
Employees ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Responsibilities ,
Employment Litigation ,
Employment Policies ,
Heat Exposure ,
State and Local Government ,
State Labor Laws ,
Workplace Safety
The Seattle City Council became the first U.S. jurisdiction to identify caste as a protected class under its Human Rights Code on February 21, 2023, when it passed CB 120511, “An Ordinance Relating to Human Rights; Including...more
U.S. President Joe Biden signed the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) and the Providing Urgent Maternal Protections for Nursing Mothers Act (PUMP Act) into law on December 29, 2022. This combined legislation aims to bridge...more
It has never been more important to conduct quality workplace investigations. Workers are demanding more of their employers, and demanding answers as well. Often, however, employers begin workplace investigations without...more
With congressional, state, and local elections fast approaching on November 8, employers should ensure that their supervisors and human resource departments understand applicable election-related leave laws. While there is no...more
The Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair Act (the CROWN Act or the Act) went into effect in Louisiana on August 1, 2022. The CROWN Act prohibits employment discrimination based on hairstyles and hair textures...more
Earlier this year, Washington Governor Jay Inslee signed into law amendments to the state’s Paid Family and Medical Leave Act (PFML Amendments), which permit additional paid leave opportunities for new parents. The PFML...more
7/14/2022
/ Employee Handbooks ,
Employees ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Policies ,
Family Medical Leave ,
Governor Inslee ,
New Amendments ,
New Legislation ,
Paid Family Leave Law ,
State and Local Government ,
Washington
With summer underway, employers in the state of Washington are reminded to follow the state’s new emergency outdoor heat exposure rules, which went into effect on June 15, 2022. These rules apply through September 29, 2022,...more
7/7/2022
/ Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Policies ,
Health and Safety ,
Heat Exposure ,
Labor Reform ,
New Rules ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Regulatory Standards ,
Rulemaking Process ,
State and Local Government ,
State Legislatures ,
Washington ,
Workplace Hazards ,
Workplace Safety
Ohio’s new firearm law, Ohio Senate Bill 215, went into effect on June 13, 2022, permitting all qualifying adults to legally carry, possess, or conceal a handgun that is not a restricted firearm without a license, background...more
The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair (CROWN) Act in a 235-189 vote. According to the bill, passed on March 18, 2022, the long-standing racial and national origin...more
The Washington State Legislature has passed an amendment to the Washington Law Against Discrimination (WLAD) to prohibit discrimination based on hair textures and hairstyles historically linked to race. Washington’s House...more
Beginning January 1, 2020, Washington employers in industries including hospitality, retail, security, and contracted property services will need to comply with a new law amending the Washington Law Against Discrimination...more
12/24/2019
/ Covered Employer ,
Department of Labor & Industry ,
Employee Training ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Policies ,
Governor Inslee ,
Hospitality Industry ,
Independent Contractors ,
New Legislation ,
Property Service Workers ,
Sexual Harassment ,
State Labor Laws ,
Worker Protection Standard
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
Beginning in January 2020, Washington employees can start using new benefits under the Paid Family and Medical Leave Act (PFML). Employees and employers have paid the required premiums on the new paid leave benefits for all...more
The Washington State Supreme Court recently held obesity qualifies as an impairment under the Washington Law Against Discrimination (WLAD). The decision runs counter to other court decisions across the country finding obesity...more
8/8/2019
/ Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ,
Anti-Discrimination Policies ,
Conditional Job Offers ,
Disability Discrimination ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Policies ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Job Applicants ,
Obesity ,
Protected Class ,
Reasonable Accommodation ,
State Labor Laws ,
WA Supreme Court