On March 11, 2021, President Biden signed into law the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). One of the ARPA provisions provides for a 100-percent COBRA subsidy and additional COBRA enrollment rights for employees (and their families) who lost employer-sponsored health coverage as a result of an involuntary termination of employment or a reduction of hours. Because of the notice requirements in the ARPA regarding the new COBRA subsidy program, employers will need to act promptly to comply with the May 31, 2021, deadline. […]

In another landmark decision, the Washington State Supreme Court issued a ruling on March 4, 2020, calling into question more than 70 years of legal precedent. The decision, Woods v. Seattle’s Union Gospel Mission, marks the second time since November that the Court has pitted the State Constitution against decades-old legislation to arrive at a modern interpretation. […]

Washington employers have only just begun dealing with the impact of the state’s new Paid Family and Medical Leave law (PFML). They are also in the midst of anxiously awaiting the Employment Security Department’s upcoming rules implementing 2019’s Long-Term Care Trust Act. […]

When news broke of the development of a Covid-19 vaccine, some employers began asking whether they could require their employees to receive the shot. On December 16, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) updated its Covid-19 guidance to address this question. The answer: yes (usually). […]

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.