In its September 14, 2023, unanimous decision in Stratford v. Umpqua Bank, the Washington Supreme Court rejected the application of the “apex doctrine” in Washington. […]

On August 25, 2023, the National Labor Relations Board issued a landmark ruling, Cemex Construction Materials Pacific, overruling 50 years of precedent regarding union recognition, elections, and bargaining orders. […]

On July 26, 2023, the EEOC issued updated guidance about the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and employees and applicants with visual disabilities. […]

In its June 29, 2023, unanimous decision in Groff v. DeJoy, the United States Supreme Court made it easier for employees to seek religious accommodations from their employers. The Court said an employer can only deny an employee’s request for religious accommodation if the employer can demonstrate that the requested accommodation would result in substantial increased costs for the employer. […]

As of January 1, 2024, employers in Washington State cannot refuse to hire an applicant based on his or her past use of cannabis. The new law, however, does not impact an employer’s ability to drug test applicants for controlled substances. […]

On May 1, 2023, Seattle became the first city in the nation to permanently require companies to provide paid sick and safe time leave to gig workers—also known as app-based workers. […]

Companies are increasingly using algorithms in their candidate selection process either directly, or indirectly when they employ a vendor that uses algorithms. The use of algorithms is intended to remove unintended selection bias from the hiring process. […]

On February 21, 2023, the National Labor Relations Board (the “Board” or the “NLRB”) issued a decision in McLaren Macomb, 371 NLRB No. 58 (2023), that could significantly alter the terms of severance agreements with departing employees. […]

As a friendly reminder, Washington’s Pay Transparency Law went into effect on January 1, 2023. Employers now must disclose in each job posting: (1) the wage scale or salary range for the position; and (2) a general description of all benefits and other compensation to be offered. […]

Plaintiff Eric Dodge was a long-time teacher in the Evergreen School District (“the District”) in Vancouver, Washington. In August 2019, Dodge attended two teacher training days and brought a Make America Great Again (“MAGA”) hat. The first day of training involved cultural sensitivity and racial bias training presented by a professor from Washington State University. […]

A New Year’s Resolution that is on every employer’s list is minimizing and preventing litigation. This can be done by ensuring your company’s policies, procedures, and agreements are in compliance with local, state, and federal labor and employment laws, as well as providing employees with crucial training. […]

As we wind up the calendar year, employers should take note of legislative changes enacted during 2022, as well as those anticipated in the new year. […]