Update on the State of Non-compete Restrictions (LaborSpeak)
California Employment News: Taking Advantage of the PAGA Reform – How Employers Can Lower Their Risk of PAGA Liability
(Podcast) California Employment News: Taking Advantage of the PAGA Reform – How Employers Can Lower Their Risk of PAGA Liability
The Labor Law Insider: What's Next for Labor Law Under the Trump Administration, Part II
Work This Way: A Labor & Employment Law Podcast - Episode 39: Best Practices for Conducting RIFs and Layoffs with Jennifer Wheeler of Maynard Nexsen
#WorkforceWednesday®: Should Employers Shift Workforce Data Collection Under President Trump? - Employment Law This Week®
Work This Way: A Labor & Employment Law Podcast - Episode 38: Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) with John Holmes of Maynard Nexsen
#WorkforceWednesday®: Workplace Law Shake-Up - DEI Challenges, NLRB Reversals, and EEOC Actions - Employment Law This Week®
The Labor Law Insider: What's Next for Labor Law Under the Trump Administration, Part I
The Implications of President Trump's EO on Gender Ideology: What's the Tea in L&E?
#WorkforceWednesday®: Federal Agencies Begin Compliance Efforts Under Trump Administration - Employment Law This Week®
Employment Law Now IX-159 - 8th Anniversary Special: The Current State of Politics for Employers
#WorkforceWednesday®: Employment Law Changes Under President Trump - Employment Law This Week®
#WorkforceWednesday®: PAGA in California, NLRB Authority, New Employment Laws in 2025 - Employment Law This Week®
Employment Law Now VIII-157 - Top 5 L&E Issues to Watch in 2025
#WorkforceWednesday®: Employment Law in 2025: A Look Ahead - Employment Law This Week®
#WorkforceWednesday®: 2024 Workforce Review - Top Labor and Employment Law Trends and Updates - Employment Law This Week®
The Labor Law Insider - Elections Have Consequences: Labor Law Changes Anticipated Under Trump Administration, Part II
(Podcast) California Employment News – Key Employment Law Updates: What’s Changing in 2025
California Employment News – Key Employment Law Updates: What’s Changing in 2025
Recently, Washington State legislators passed several new and amended employment bills, which Governor Ferguson signed, enhancing protections for employees and increasing potential liability for employers. Employers need to...more
In its 2025 regular session, the Washington State Legislature passed 10 bills impacting employers that will come into effect this year. These legal changes affect compliance obligations, employee benefits, and protections...more
Washington is the latest state to enact a “mini-WARN” Act that will require employers with 50 or more full-time employees to provide at least 60 days’ notice to the state as well as any union or employees affected by a...more
Employers operating in Washington State must take steps quickly to comply with a slew of new labor and employment laws passed by the Washington State Legislature during the recent session. These new laws significantly expand...more
Some Washington healthcare employers will be subject to new requirements for meal and rest breaks starting next year. Moving forward, under amended RCW 49.12.480, there are new hoops these employers must jump through in order...more
The new law applies to employers with 50+ employees (excluding part-time workers) and mirrors many federal WARN Act provisions, with some notable distinctions....more
On May 20, 2025, Governor Bob Ferguson signed Substitute Senate Bill 5408 (SSB 5408), enacting important amendments to the Washington Equal Pay and Opportunities Act (EPOA). The EPOA has been a hot topic in Washington after...more
The Washington Legislature has passed a new law affecting employers’ obligations related to employee personnel files. The new law amends RCW 49.12.240 and 49.12.250 in four important ways...more
Effective January 1, 2025, Washington’s state minimum wage will increase to $16.66 per hour, a 2.35% increase over 2024. In addition to complying with the state’s minimum wage requirements, Washington employers also need to...more
The Washington State Department of Labor and Industries has announced the state minimum wage for 2025. In Washington, the state minimum wage is calculated annually (and generally increases) based on inflation. Effective...more
The city of Renton, Washington, finalized rules to implement Initiative 23-02 on May 31, 2024. The initiative was approved by Renton voters in February 2024 and codified within Chapter 5-28 and Section 5-5-4 of the Renton...more
Washington Governor Jay Inslee recently signed Senate Bill 5935 into law, amending and expanding Washington’s statute restricting the enforceability of noncompetition covenants (Revised Code of Washington 49.2). The amended...more
Washington state businesses that have noncompetition agreements with employees or independent contractors will be subject to new requirements under the latest amendment to the state’s noncompetition law beginning June 6,...more
The Washington state legislature and certain localities recently passed several bills affecting employers, some of which have already been signed into law. These measures address non-compete agreements, mandatory...more
Beginning in 2024, both Washington and California will prohibit employers from basing hiring decisions on an applicant’s legal marijuana use. What Is Prohibited? Effective January 1, 2024, employers are prohibited...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration determined only a few years ago that federal law preempts California’s and Washington’s meal and rest period rules. Regardless of what would happen in the...more
The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (“PWFA”) was passed as part of the December 29, 2022 Consolidated Appropriations Act, a new federal law that went into effect on June 27, 2023. This federal legislation requires covered...more
On July 1, 2023, after a long delay, mandatory withholdings for the WA Cares Fund finally took effect. The WA Cares Fund is a state-run, long-term-care insurance program requiring employers to pay premiums through a mandatory...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: Effective July 17, 2023, employers with outdoor workers in the state of Washington will be required to follow revised heat illness prevention rules. The revised rules modify Washington’s long-standing 2008...more
Spring has sprung in the State of Washington, and there are several new paid leave developments taking root. First, the Washington Paid Family and Medical Leave Act, which generally provides leave with partial wage...more
A new Washington law regulating employers’ use of production quotas or production standards for employees working at warehouse distribution centers (House Bill 1762) will go into effect on July 1, 2024....more
On Tuesday, May 9, 2023, Governor Inslee signed into law Senate Bill No. 5123, which will protect prospective employees from discrimination in hiring due to their lawful, off-duty use of marijuana. With this law, Washington...more
The city council of Seattle recently added caste as a protected class to the city’s anti-discrimination laws. In doing so, Seattle becomes the first US jurisdiction to ban caste discrimination and the first in the world to...more
On February 21, 2023, the City of Seattle, Washington became the first U.S. city – or any U.S. jurisdiction for that matter – to add caste to its list of categories protected against discrimination. As described below, this...more
If they haven’t already, employers should ensure that their job postings comply with Washington State’s new pay transparency law, which, in many instances, applies even to businesses outside of the state. The law went into...more