As we near the end of one of the most challenging years in recent memory, many around the Puget Sound region are anxiously awaiting the start of a new year. 2020 has imposed significant hardships on employers and employees alike and introduced numerous novel obstacles to wreak havoc on company operations. […]

As the coronavirus pandemic continues to wreak havoc on workplaces, employers large and small are faced with the challenge of navigating various federal, state, and local laws when responding to employees’ requests for COVID-19 related leaves and other accommodations. Laws that potentially apply to requests for such leave are summarized below. […]

With election day within weeks, people are expressing their
political beliefs more than ever – buttons, t-shirts, hats, etc. When contentious political topics spill into
the workplace, employers may be left wondering what actions they can take to prevent harm to morale and productivity. […]

The Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”) requires that employers track the number
of compensable hours non-exempt employees work, including the compensable hours of
employees who telework. […]

In Brady v. Autozone Stores, Inc., Case No. 19-35122 (9th Cir. 2020), the Ninth Circuit
dismissed a putative wage and hour class action after the individual plaintiff settled his
individual claims. […]

In Bostock v. Clayton County, Georgia, 590 U.S. ___ (2020), which involved three consolidated cases, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (“Title VII”) protects gay and transgender workers from workplace discrimination. […]

Governor Jay Inslee’s Safe Start Washington plan for reopening the Washington economy launched June 1st, and employers need to be aware of the conditions they must follow to resume business operations as their employees return to work. […]

On April 1, 2020, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) finalized three significant changes to its rules and regulations regarding union election and recognition procedures.

The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) took effect on April 1, 2020.
As most employers are aware by now, the FFCRA creates an 80-hour bank of Emergency Paid Sick
Leave that can be taken by employees affected by COVID-19 in certain situations. […]

The coronavirus emergency has hit every employer hard, none more so than
unionized employers who must deal with their unions while also considering significant and
immediate operational changes. This raises the simple question: As a unionized employer, how must
and should you deal with your unions during this pandemic crisis?

As we shared with you in our March 28th Note (“Congress Showers
Employers with Loan Programs, Tax Credits, and Other Incentives to Retain
Employees”), new loan programs under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security
Act (“CARES Act”) for mid-sized employers and non-profits come with significant strings attached
for those employers wishing to participate in these new loan programs.

Just nine days ago, Congress enacted a massive expansion of emergency employee leave benefits in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Congress has now followed this up with the largest spending bill in world history.