This Thursday, June 7, 2018, an amendment to Washington’s Equal Pay Act goes into effect. This amendment attempts to limit gender discrimination in the workplace by prohibiting discrimination in compensation of “similarly employed” workers of different genders. Under the act, employees are “similarly employed” when: they work for the same company the job done requires... View Article
On May 21, 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Epic Systems Corp. v. Lewis that an employer may require employees to agree to take all employment-related disputes to arbitration on an individual basis, and to waive their right to participate in a class action or class arbitration. This case is a victory for employers... View Article
All Fridays are special, but Friday, May 25, 2018 is even more special because the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) goes into effect. If you are tempted to stop reading because HEY! this is the US not the EU, hang in there, because if your company handles data belonging to people in the... View Article
It is difficult for any executive today to not recognize that a data breach is a significant risk to his or her company. What is more difficult is for that same executive to understand that he or she simply responding to such a breach does not sufficiently address the risk. The actions or inaction of... View Article
Guest post by Anthony Hargreaves, MBT, CISA, CRISC Small Business providers rely heavily on the most current and innovative methods of communicating and receiving vital business information to their customers, to and from their vendors and across operations. Advertising campaigns often use the latest social media platforms to promote discount codes and payment methods as... View Article
I recently watched the move “9 to 5” while on a flight. I hadn’t seen it in years and not since I started my own business or began practicing law. I loved it when I first saw and I still found it to be really entertaining. I remember a film class I took in college... View Article
As of March 19, the Washington Department of Revenue is changing their e-filing system, which will affect how taxpayers file their tax returns. The new portal will allow business owners to access both tax and licensing accounts in one location. Accounts will now require a Secure Access Washington (SAW) login, which many businesses already have... View Article
In December 2017, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) overruled its 2015 decision in Browning-Ferris Industries, 36 NLRB No.186 (2015). This 2015 decision changed the standard for joint-employer liability, making the definition much broader than previously. The new decision reverts back to NLRB’s previous interpretation of the joint-employer relationship. Going forward, two or more entities... View Article
The short-term rental landscape in Seattle has changed significantly in the past few months. Several pieces of legislation, the culmination of two years of discussions, have been passed in the last months of 2017. These regulations aim to return units to the long-term housing market and stem the growth of short-term rentals within city limits.... View Article