On January 5, 2021, Governor Jay Inslee announced the “Healthy Washington – Roadmap to Recovery” Covid-19 recovery plan (the “Recovery Plan”). The plan presents a phased reopening of certain businesses and activities based on key health metrics in each Washington county. The Recovery Plan will officially go into effect on January 11, 2020, and all... View Article
On July 1, 2020, the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (“L&I”) updated the criteria for an exempt employee. These workers may include executive, administrative, and professional employees, as well as outside salespeople and computer professionals. Washington’s overtime exemption rules generally require these “white-collar” employees to meet a three-part test to be exempt: the... View Article
Business leaders are asking if the business transaction landscape is changing, considering the pandemic. Do we see negative impacts on many businesses? To be honest, we don’t see much change – deals are moving forward with little change in the terms or contingencies. This may be due to the specific deals we’re seeing, or parties... View Article
As civil rights protests have swept the nation, more companies are announcing initiatives aimed at promoting diversity and inclusion within their walls. But in looking at the data, it is clear just how far we must go before our businesses are truly reflective of the makeup of our society at large. The benefits of diversity,... View Article
“Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion” are words that have been floating around the business community for many years, but it’s been primarily an effort of big businesses. Small companies typically have infrequent hiring needs and, therefore, feel they can have a limited impact on diverse hiring. In recent months, however, more small businesses are asking how... View Article
At the time of writing this post, there are currently 91 confirmed or presumed-positive cases of novel Coronavirus, or COVID-19, in the United States. Just in the past three days, three deaths were reported in the state of Washington, bringing the count to six deaths to date in this state. The latest news reports provide... View Article
Are you waiting on the latest updates to the employer pay requirements coming in 2020? Well, The US Department of Labor and Washington State Department of Labor & Industries has a gift for you. New employer pay requirements just in time for the holidays! Snapshot Federal Employer Pay Requirements Changes. Beginning January 12, 2020, Employers... View Article
When starting a business, few business owners consider the details and consequences of closing the business. But even closing a business, if not done the right way, can get a business owner in hot water. Recently, a popular and all-inclusive wedding venue in Everett, WA suddenly closed. Engaged couples with impending nuptials are without a... View Article
Effective July 1, 2018, Seattle has banned the use of plastic utensils and straws in all restaurants, food trucks, grocery stores, coffee shops, and institutional cafeterias operating in city limits. The ban is an attempt by officials to curb the harmful environmental effects of single-use utensils on our oceans. It is the first of its... View Article