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Mar 20 2026
Leave LawsWage and HourWashington

Washington Governor signs 2026 employment legislation

Washington’s 2026 legislative session ended on March 12, 2026, with Governor Bob Ferguson signing multiple employment-related bills into law. ESB 6106 Washington WARN Act notice content: Modifies the notice requirements of the Washington mini-WARN Act to protect employee names from disclosure to coworkers. The names of affected coworkers are no longer required to be included…

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Dec 20 2025
Leave LawsWashington

WPFML: New rules, model notices, and other changes

2026 is ringing in changes to the Washington Paid Family and Medical Leave law (WPFML) with new rules published by the Employment Security Department (ESD) and new model notices for Washington employers to send out to employees. As we previously reported, WPFML was amended to expand job restoration rights and continued health insurance coverage for…

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Jun 09 2025
Employee BenefitsLeave LawsWashington

Big changes to Washington Paid Family and Medical Leave law

On May 17, 2025, Governor Bob Ferguson signed legislation making significant changes to the Washington Paid Family and Medical Leave program (WPFML) (ESSHB 1213). The amended law expands job protection to employees of smaller companies, creates a time limit on job protection rights, allows employers to count leave time under the federal Family and Medical…

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May 05 2025
ImmigrationLeave LawsWashington

Washington paid leave now available for immigration proceedings

Governor Ferguson has signed SHB 1875, revising the Washington Paid Sick Leave law (WPSL) to allow employees to use paid sick leave for absences related to immigration proceedings. The revised law takes effect on July 27, 2025. The new law allows employees to use paid sick leave to prepare for or participate in any judicial…

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Oct 22 2024
Harassment & Discrimination

Q&A: You may be liable for harassment before it’s reported

Question: We recently received a discrimination and harassment claim from a former employee who quit his job. This is the first we’ve heard about these issues; they were never reported to HR. We can’t be liable for claims that were never reported, right? Answer: Wrong, you could be liable. Employers are legally responsible for any…

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Sep 20 2024
Safety and HealthWashington

Washington L&I issues new rules for voluntary use of PPE

The Washington Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) has adopted three new permanent rules allowing employees who aren’t required to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) to voluntarily use PPE to protect themselves from noise, dust, or possible infectious or contagious diseases. PPE includes items such as “face masks, filtering-facepiece respirators, goggles, helmets, head covers, gloves,…

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Sep 10 2024
Leave LawsSafety and Health

Q&A: Sick time covers wildfire evacuation

Question: The area where our business is located is under a level 3 (go now, shut the business) evacuation order from the county’s fire department due to wildfire danger. Can employees use their paid sick leave while we’re closed? Answer: If you’re located in Oregon or Washington, then yes, employees are allowed to use any…

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May 03 2024
Wage and Hour

DOL raises overtime-exempt minimum salary requirements

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) published new regulations for the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) that increase the minimum salaries required for white-collar workers who are exempt from overtime. The new regulations raise the exempt salary threshold as of July 1, 2024, and then again on January 1, 2025, as follows: Beginning July 1,…

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Jan 15 2024
Leave LawsWashington

WASHINGTON: L&I updates paid sick leave rules

The Washington Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) updated the state’s paid sick leave rules, effective January 1, 2024. Most changes to the rules relate to a new Washington law requiring payout of accrued leave for short-term construction workers. However, some of the rules on usage, paid time off (PTO) programs, and frontloading were also…

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Nov 02 2023
Q&ASafety and HealthWage and Hour

WASHINGTON Q&A: Employers can still prohibit some moonlighting

Question: We know there have been many changes in Washington law lately about non-compete restrictions, but are we still allowed to prohibit current employees from moonlighting? Answer: Under certain conditions, yes. Washington law allows employers to restrict current employees from “moonlighting” (i.e., working other jobs at the same time) if the employee is making at…

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Jul 06 2023
Labor Relations

NLRB returns to multi-factor test for independent contractor status

The National Labor Relations Board has returned to its traditional multi-factor test for determining independent contractor status, overruling its own 2019 decision that had focused mainly on the worker’s entrepreneurial opportunity (The Atlanta Opera, Inc., NLRB, June 2023). This test is important to properly classify workers because independent contractors are excluded from the organizing rights…

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Mar 16 2023
Harassment & DiscriminationWashington

WASHINGTON: Seattle is first to ban caste discrimination

Seattle has become the first city in the U.S. to include caste as a legally protected class for unlawful workplace discrimination. The Seattle city council voted on February 22, 2023, to amend the city law to ban caste discrimination in workplaces, housing, and public services. The new ban was signed into law by Seattle’s mayor…

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