On Jan. 27, 2022, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee signed House Bills 1732 and 1733, amending the Long-Term Services and Supports Trust Act, known as the Washington Cares Fund (the Act), and delaying implementation of the Act to July 1, 2023.
Continue Reading Washington Postpones Collection of Long-Term Care Employee Premiums to July 2023
Emily A. Bushaw
No More Free Flights: Employee Travel Time Is Now Compensable Under Washington Law
In Port of Tacoma v. Sacks, the Court of Appeals of the State of Washington recently held that all out-of-town employee travel time is compensable under state law. The decision confirms the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries’ (L&I) interpretation that all travel time related to work is compensable, regardless of when it…
ESD Audits: What They Are, How to Prepare, and Best Practices for Employers
The Washington State Employment Security Department audits records of employers located in Washington to confirm that wages and hours are accurately reported and to ensure compliance with the state’s unemployment insurance laws and rules. During the audit, ESD auditors will perform a wide variety of functions, including looking for evidence of unreported employees, casual labor,…
New Washington Law Creates Statutory Wage Lien for Claims on Unpaid Wages
On April 16, 2021, Governor Jay Inslee signed into law the Washington Wage Recovery Act, allowing employees to place a lien on their employers’ property to secure unpaid wages.
The purpose of the law is to provide employees with another tool to secure their unpaid wages. Currently, Washington employees must wait until resolution of a…
New Overtime Requirements for Washington Agricultural Workers
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, amending the state’s Minimum Wage Act as it relates to agricultural workers and adopting a phased approach for imposing overtime requirements on agricultural employers.…
City of Seattle Passes Hazard Pay for Grocery Employees
On February 3, 2021, Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan signed into law a new ordinance requiring grocery employers to provide their employees an additional $4.00/hour in hazard pay due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Read the full update on PerkinsCoie.com.