Kandis Sells

Leave Laws  

Washington Paid Family & Medical Leave poster and notice now available online

It’s a new year and Washington’s Paid Family and Medical Leave (WPFML) benefits are in full effect. The Washington Employment Security Department (ESD) closed out 2019 by publishing the new WPFML workplace poster required for all Washington employers. The poster must be displayed where you usually post other employment-related notices, such as in the…

Q&A  

Q&A: Company using PEO is still liable for legal compliance

Question: We’re thinking about using a professional employer organization (PEO) to handle all of our payroll, hiring, and HR functions. Any legal concerns we should be aware of?   Answer: Yes. Use of a PEO can save you time and allow you to stay focused on your business functions, but be sure you don’t…

Q&A: Duty to keep health insurance during workers’ comp is limited

Question: We have an employee out on leave to recover from a workplace injury. Are we supposed to keep her on our health insurance plan?   Answer: It depends on whether the employee’s leave is protected by federal or state leave laws in addition to workers’ compensation. State workers’ comp laws generally don’t require employers to…

Termination & Resignation  

Supervisor in Washington may be individually liable for termination

In Washington, an employee may bring a legal claim against an individual supervisor who participated in an employment termination decision, according to a federal district court. A former middle school principal brought a claim for wrongful discharge in violation of public policy against both the school district and the individual…