The Washington Supreme Court recently ruled the state’s agricultural exemption from overtime doesn’t apply to dairy workers, in a case with widespread implications for all agricultural employers. Under Washington’s Minimum Wage Requirements and Labor Standards Act, employees must generally be paid overtime for all hours worked over 40 in a workweek, unless a…
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Question: We hired an employee a few months ago who has been working remotely during the pandemic. Our HR manager remotely inspected the Form I-9 verification documents at the time of hire. The employee will now be reporting to a physical location and the onsite manager will be inspecting the…
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On September 10, 2020, Washington’s Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) and the Department of Health (DOH) extended and modified existing COVID-19 (coronavirus) safety rules for temporary worker housing (TWH) in the agriculture industry. As a reminder, the larger framework for agriculture COVID-19 safety compliance in Washington continues to be Proclamation 20-57.1, and…
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On August 28, 2020, Washington Governor Jay Inslee released updated interpretative guidance accompanying the current COVID-19 safety requirements for agriculture on which we recently reported. Washington’s employers in the agriculture industry have endured a steady stream of additional requirements and changes around COVID-19 (coronavirus) safety. The good news is the new…
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On August 19, 2020, Washington Governor Jay Inslee delivered yet another proclamation (Proclamation 20-57.1, Concerning the Health of Agricultural Workers), which imposes even more agricultural COVID-19 requirements for worksites, particularly around isolating and testing workers. Many items are the same as those previously required, but significant new mandates are noted…
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On August 13, 2020, Governor Jay Inslee signed Proclamation 20-67, providing paid leave for food production worker absences related to COVID-19 (coronavirus). This new proclamation took effect on August 18, 2020, and significantly impacts employers operating in the agriculture sector. The proclamation doesn’t protect workers covered by the Families First Coronavirus…
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Idaho Governor Brad Little has announced a plan to pay between $750.00 and $1,500.00 to Idaho workers who return to work after receiving unemployment benefits. Some workers are making more money from enhanced unemployment benefits (which continue through July 31, 2020), than they did when they were working, so employers…
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On May 28, 2020, Washington Governor Jay Inslee delivered yet another proclamation (Proclamation 20-57, Concerning the Health of Agricultural Workers), which imposes even more agricultural COVID-19 requirements for worksites, and then on June 2, 2020, issued interpretive guidance on those requirements. Many items are the same as those previously required,…
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As employers with commercial motor vehicle (CMV) operations face a web of federal and state actions related to COVID-19 (coronavirus), working with subject matter experts is key. At the federal level, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), an agency within the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), continues to stay…
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On May 12, 2020, Washington’s Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) released new requirements for temporary agricultural worker housing to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 (coronavirus). Here’s what you need to know if you’re the housing operator for your employees (or if you’re responsible for a housing operator’s compliance with these rules): Effective and…
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