Q&AHarassment & Discrimination  

Q&A: Is your company at risk for workplace harassment?

Question: We have an anti-harassment policy and complaint process in our employee handbook. We also conduct annual training for employees. What else should we be doing to prevent workplace harassment?

Dodd-Frank whistleblowers protected only if they report to SEC

On February 21, 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that employees who report financial wrongdoing under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act are protected from retaliation only if they make their reports to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The Supreme Court overruled a U.S. Ninth Circuit…

Wage and Hour  

Washington Governor signs pay equity reform bill

On March 21, 2018, Washington officially joined the multitude of states tackling pay disparity as Governor Jay Inslee signed the Equal Pay Opportunity Act (Second Substitute House Bill 1506). The Act significantly expands Washington’s existing pay equity law for the first time since its adoption in 1943. Applying to all employers with…

Q&AWage and Hour  

Q&A: Be careful when considering a settlement for back wages

Question: We recently conducted a self-audit and discovered that we underpaid one employee for wages earned. If we pay her the past wages owed and ask her to sign something releasing us from liability, are we covered?

Harassment & DiscriminationTermination & Resignation  

Q&A: Layoff of only older workers raises concerns

We just lost one of our biggest customers and have decided we need to lay off several employees from multiple departments. It turns out that all of the selected employees are over 40. Do we face potential liability?

Affirmative Action  

OFCCP will allow opportunity for input before issuing Notice of Violation

The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) has announced a change in policy that will allow federal contractors an opportunity to rebut preliminary findings of discrimination before the agency issues an official Notice of Violation. Directive 2018-01 instructs OFCCP staff to always give federal contractors a Predetermination Notice if…

Safety and HealthWorkers’ Comp  

Raise hazard awareness and reduce workplace accidents

Safe and Aware
Vigilant's Individual Hazard Assessment Program Promotes a Good Pause

Vigilant News  

4/11/18 Employment law & safety roundtable in Yakima

Join Vigilant members and selected guests as we discuss current issues facing businesses in the area, have questions answered by Vigilant staff, and get to know one another. Sean Brown, Employment Attorney, and Jayson Ballentine, Safety Professional, will be on hand to facilitate the discussion and answer questions. Topics will include: Washington's…

Termination & ResignationWage and Hour  

No extra OT owed for bonus based on % of earnings in California

An employer’s award of a bonus based on a percentage of overtime earnings didn’t require any extra overtime payments, ruled a federal district court in California. The decision illustrates how a dispute over 12 cents can literally turn into a federal case. During one particular workweek, an employee earned $4.745 in overtime.…

Harassment & DiscriminationLabor Relations  

NLRB attorney recommends dismissing Google engineer’s complaint

The National Labor Relations Board should dismiss a Google software engineer’s complaint that he was illegally fired for circulating an anti-diversity memo, according to an official opinion from a staff attorney in the Division of Advice for the Board’s Office of the General Counsel. You may recall that in August 2017, the media was…