Many businesses that have been temporarily shuttered since March are slowly starting to clear the cobwebs and bring employees back into the workplace. In making decisions about when and how to bring employees back, employers must consider Gov. Jay Inslee’s Safe Start plan and guidance from federal and state agencies, including the U.S. Department of Labor, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Washington State Department of Health (DOH) and Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I)…
Read MoreMany businesses that have been temporarily shuttered since March are slowly starting to clear the cobwebs and bring employees back into the workplace. In making decisions about when and how to bring employees back, employers must consider Gov. Jay Inslee’s Safe Start plan and guidance from federal and state agencies, including the U.S. Department of Labor, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Washington State Department of Health (DOH) and Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I)…
Read MoreAs the effects of COVID-19 continue to spread, employers should be mindful of their obligations under federal, state or local law to provide certain forms of leave to employees who are affected by COVID-19. This Employment Law Bulletin provides a summary of common forms of leave available to employees in Washington and Oregon who may be unable to work because of COVID-19. We encourage employers to familiarize themselves with these leave laws, and to stay updated on the frequent changes and interpretations of these laws. Since the laws and regulatory environment is changing daily, we encourage you to obtain legal advice as needed…
Read MoreAs we start a new year and decade, Washington employers will encounter several major changes to Washington employment laws. Listed below are some of the key changes for 2020, which we encourage employers to familiarize themselves with in order to take necessary steps to ensure compliance…
Read MoreWashington recently amended its Equal Pay and Opportunities Act (EPOA), effective July 28, 2019, to generally prohibit employers from inquiring about a job applicant’s wage or salary history and require employers to provide wage and salary information to job applicants and employees in certain circumstances…
Read MoreEmployment law is constantly changing, resulting in an increasingly complex legal environment for businesses to navigate. We know how challenging it can be to stay on top and keep track of these evolving laws, which is why Landerholm, P.S. attorneys James P. Sikora and Phillip J. Haberthur have started sending employment law updates as a complimentary service to you. We want to assist you in both complying with the latest developments in employment law and continuing to run a business that stays true to your vision in this evolving environment.
Read MoreWashington businesses have experienced many changes in employment laws over the past several years. Paid sick leave became effective in January 2018. Paid family and medical leave will be fully effective in January 2020, when eligible employees may begin applying for benefits under that law…
Read MoreWashington’s Equal Pay Act (EPA) has prohibited discrimination in compensation on the basis of sex since it was enacted in 1943. Despite the existence of similar laws for many years at the state and federal levels of government, studies continue to find a persistent pay gap of approximately 20 percent between men and women in the United States…
Read MoreBeginning January 1, 2018, all employers in Washington State must allow non-exempt employees to use paid sick leave. Employers may comply with the new law by maintaining a paid sick leave policy or PTO policy that provides paid sick leave as long as the PTO policy satisfies all requirements of the law, including the rate of accrual and carryover…
Read MoreMost Vancouver businesses are likely aware of the need for a City of Vancouver Business License. Businesses may not, however, be aware that the city business licensing rules have recently changed, with more changes to come…
Read MoreThese types of agreements provide for the orderly transfer of, and fair compensation for, interests in a company. In many circumstances, owners will agree upon the terms of a fellow owner’s exit; however, if they cannot agree, the Shareholders’ Agreement will control. When owners embark on a business venture, they may do so with the goals of making the business profitable and then ultimately selling it to a third party. However, other events could preempt these goals, and a company should have a built-in process for dealing with the unexpected.
Read More