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
The President signed the “Families First Coronavirus Response Act” (“FFCRA”) on March 18th, 2020, which will take effect on April 2nd, 2020, and ends on December 31st, 2020. Now, businesses are stuck wondering how to implement the requirements and in such a short period of time. The Department of Labor and the IRS are working... View Article
The novel coronavirus, COVID-19, is having a sudden and severe impact on our region, state, and the U.S. As a result of COVID-19, many small businesses are suffering. Social distancing and state-mandated bans are causing the cancellation of events and travel plans, workplaces to shut down or limit operations, workers are sent home, and ultimately,... View Article
Avoiding employee disputes and lawsuits is the goal of employers, but even effective best practices won’t reduce all risks. So how do employers avoid the inevitable cost of employee disputes and lawsuits? Enter mandatory arbitration agreements, which prevent employee disputes from going to court. These agreements are typically part of employment agreements or as separate... View Article
Washington employers are likely to need support in reviewing employee handbooks and other existing policies and implementing new or revised policies by or before January 1, 2020. We are here to help! Call or email us to find to get your questions answered and see about getting your documents reviewed and updated.
You may know that PMFLA becomes effective January 1st, 2020 – but what does this mean from a practical standpoint? What do you need to change in your policies and procedures to accommodate these new requirements including how the application process for benefits will work beginning in January 2020 and the ongoing rulemaking that addresses... View Article
We previously posted an article about the new non-compete legislation in Washington that was expected to be signed into law. Since that original article was posted, the bill was in fact signed and Washington employers should begin preparing for the new rules to take effect on January 1, 2020. But what do employers really need... View Article
Effective on July 28, 2019, employers in Washington State are prohibited from collecting or seeking the wage or salary history of an applicant for employment. Salary History Bans Salary history bans are becoming increasingly common and are now in place in some form across 17 states, including Washington, Oregon, and California, as well as 14... View Article