Minimum Wage, WA Supreme Court, Employer Liability Issues

Washington Employers Must Be Careful about Which Employees are Required to Enter into Non-Compete Agreements

Dorsey & Whitney LLP on 2/6/2025

On January 23, 2025, the Washington Supreme Court held employers who pay their employees less than twice the minimum wage cannot prohibit them from working second jobs, subject to a few, limited exceptions. Employers who...more

Washington Supreme Court Says Employers May Not Unreasonably Restrain Employees From Working for Competitors

Clark Hill PLC on 1/28/2025

In a case of first impression, the Washington Supreme Court interpreted Washington law regarding noncompete agreements to broadly protect employees who earn less than twice the state minimum wage from unreasonable...more

New Overtime Requirements for Washington Agricultural Workers

Perkins Coie on 5/19/2021

In response to last year’s groundbreaking decision by the Washington State Supreme Court in Martinez-Cuevas v. DeRuyter Bros. Dairy, Inc., the state legislature recently passed Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5172 (SB5172),...more

Washington Supreme Court Alters State's Agricultural Exemption in the Minimum Wage Statute

Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt PC on 11/10/2020

On November 5, 2020, the Washington Supreme Court altered a 60-year provision of Washington’s Minimum Wage Statute when it issued its decision in Martinez-Cuevas v. DeRuyter Brothers Dairy. The court held that the...more

Washington Supreme Upholds Workweek Averaging for Non-Agricultural Piece-Rate Workers

Perkins Coie on 9/20/2019

On September 5, 2019, the Washington Supreme Court held that non-agricultural employees do not have to be paid a separate hourly rate for time spent on non-piece-rate activities. Further, workweek averaging, as described in...more

Peace for Piece-Rate Employers in Washington

Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP on 9/18/2019

On September 5, 2019, the Washington Supreme Court issued a huge win for all non-agricultural employers who pay commission or piece-rate pay to their employees in Washington state. In a 6-3 decision, the Washington Supreme...more