The WA CARES Act makes long-term care accessible to all workers in Washington State. The program is funded through payroll taxes collected by the state. Participation in the program is mandatory for Washington workers unless they applied for an exemption by November 1, 2021. The plan benefits are anticipated to be available to workers in July 2026 and will cover long-term care services such as professional care, equipment, home safety evaluations, and compensation for family members who provide care.
Prohibiting nondisclosure and nondisparagement provisions from employers regarding illegal acts of discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wage and hour violations, and sexual assault.
Washington State has recently amended its 2018 Equal Pay and Opportunities Act to include new amendments that improve pay transparency and provide more information to job applicants. As of January 1, 2023, Washington State employers with at least 15 employees are required to disclose the “wage scale or salary range” for each job posting to both employees... View Article
On October 31st, the flexibility in completing I-9 forms remotely will expire and employers will once again need to conduct an in-person inspection of the documents. Additionally, the traditional I-9 form will be presented in a new format that will compress sections one and two to reduce paper.
The people of your organization are one of the most important and one of the riskiest aspects of business. The laws are state specific, and they change frequently. Employers are held to a high legal standard and entrepreneurs often aren’t fully aware of the risks associated with employment compliance. It’s hard for business leaders to keep up, but it’s critical to do so. In this post, Equinox Business Law CEO and Founder, Michelle Bomberger looks at how the three key legal infrastructure tools can work to protect the business from employment risks.
The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) permits the electronic posting of the required poster if all other requirements are met, which include posting in conspicuous places on the premises where employees are employed, a general notice, explaining the FMLA's provisions; and providing information concerning the procedures for filing complaints of violations of the FMLA.
On Thursday, November 4, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) released its Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) that outlines a vaccine and testing mandate for private employers that have 100 or more employees. While the ETS technically went into effect on Friday, November 5, employers have until December 6 to comply with most requirements and January... View Article
On December 17, 2021, in a highly publicized announcement, Governor Inslee announced the implementation of the Washington CARES Act would be delayed for the legislature to fix the statute. The Governor stated that the state would not collect funds until the legislature resolved open issues. Lawmakers stated, “While we cannot direct employers not to collect,... View Article
We can all think back to difficult conversations. Most of us have had dozens of them across professional, personal, and family relationships. When thinking about which of these conversations ended successfully, what factors come to mind? For me, the answer is “preparation.” Preparation forces us to critically consider why the conversation will be difficult, how... View Article
