Nonprofit Quick Tip: State Filings in Washington and Oregon
Heads up, employers—a new law went into effect in Washington State this week (effective as of July 27, 2025) limiting when an employer can require job applicants and employees to have a valid driver’s license. A recent update...more
Washington employers face a wave of new workplace legislation, some of which recently became effective and some that will begin in 2026 and beyond. These new or modified laws address a broad range of topics, many of which...more
Washington lawmakers were busy this year, and a wave of new laws will have a major impact on the workplace. Employers must be aware of significant workplace laws taking effect within the next year, including 11 new laws that...more
Washington is the latest state to enact a “mini-WARN” act, joining a growing number of states with legislation similar to the federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN), 29 U.S.C. § 2101, et seq. The...more
Effective July 27, 2025, employers will have to carefully consider whether they should require that employees have a valid driver’s license as a condition of employment. In 2019, Washington State enacted the Equal Protection...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
In recent weeks, Washington State Governor Bob Ferguson signed numerous employment-related bills, amending employer obligations and employee rights related to pay transparency, paid leave, use of criminal records, personnel...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
Washington employers take note: Significant changes to the Washington Paid Family and Medical Leave (WA PFML) law are on the horizon that will impact every employer in the Evergreen State. The bill amending the law, HB 1213,...more
As many Washington employers are acutely aware, there exists sparse statutory guidance on how employers must respond to personnel file requests by their employees – and no statutory definition of what constitutes a “personnel...more
Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson on May 13 signed the Securing Timely Notification and Benefits for Laid-Off Employees Act into law. Effective July 27, this statute mirrors the federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining...more
Following a recent Washington Supreme Court decision, plaintiffs’ attorneys in Washington are targeting a new type of class action claim against employers: alleged violations of Washington’s noncompetition statute based on...more
This week, the Washington Legislature passed HB 1308, a bill that, if signed into law, will change Washington employer’s responsibilities for personnel file requests. While not yet in effect, the governor will likely sign the...more
Washington State has an existing fair chance law (discussed here) but the statute, as amended by HB 1747, will impose additional obligations on employers that consider criminal records when vetting job applicants or...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
In October 2024 we wrote about the Washington State Court of Appeals’ opinion in Androckitis v. Virginia Mason Medical Center, which held that the remedy for meal period violations includes three components: (1) payment of...more
In a first-of-its-kind decision, the Washington Supreme Court took aim at the ability of employers to prevent low wage employees in the state from “moonlighting” or otherwise supplementing their income during their...more
As 2024 wraps up and we look forward to 2025, below is a summary of upcoming changes in employment law that may impact employers in Oregon, Washington, and California. Many of the following updates go into effect on January...more
Multiple new laws will take effect in Washington state beginning January 2024, bringing changes to the state’s minimum wage laws and adding requirements under the state’s Paid Sick Leave Law. ...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
A new law in Washington state aims to protect warehouse employees by setting certain requirements for employers and warehouse staffing agencies. HB 1762, which Governor Inslee signed into law on May 4, defines and requires...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
Many employers and employees remain confused by the intricacies of Oregon and Washington state’s leave programs. In this webinar, our speakers will provide an overview of Washington’s Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML)...more