Several important developments have recently occurred in Washington state. We're addressing the following topics in this post - find the full articles below. New law creates more pandemic worker protections. On May 11, 2021, Governor Jay Inslee signed ESSB 5115, the Health Emergency Labor Standards Act (HELSA), creating labor standards that automatically take…
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On April 5, 2021, Arizona Governor Doug Ducey signed into law SB 1377, which protects covered individuals and businesses from liability for COVID-19 related injuries to customers, students, tenants, volunteers, guests, neighbors, or members of the public, if they acted in “good faith” to protect those people from the pandemic. SB 1377 aligns with the…
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The U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals recently ruled that differences in pay for men and women in jobs that share a “common core of tasks” may trigger liability under the federal Equal Pay Act (EPA) and a similar Oregon state law that was in effect until January 1, 2019. A female…
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On March 19, 2021, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a new law that requires employers with 26 or more employees to provide up to 80 hours of supplemental paid sick leave (SPSL) if a California employee is unable to work for reasons related to COVID-19 (coronavirus). The 2021 COVID-19 Supplemental…
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Question: Some of our employees have expressed concern about the possibility of a mandatory vaccine policy. What could we do to incentivize our employees to get vaccinated against COVID-19? What legal issues should we worry about? Answer: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released a Vaccination Toolkit for…
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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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On August 18, 2020, Sonoma County was added to the list of California localities to enact supplemental emergency paid sick leave (EPSL) related to COVID-19. The urgency ordinance took effect immediately and is set to expire on December 31, 2020 (unless extended), expanding EPSL to employees working in the unincorporated…
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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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Question: I just read that Governor Inslee extended the moratorium on garnishments in Washington. I thought you said the moratorium ended on May 27, 2020, for wage withholding. Which is right? Answer: As we previously reported, the governor’s moratorium on garnishment of wages for consumer debt did indeed end on May 27,…
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On May 15, 2020, Governor Jay Inslee announced that the Washington Legislature agreed to extend the temporary moratorium on garnishment for consumer debts that was imposed by the governor’s Proclamation 20-49. The original proclamation expired on May 14, 2020, but the revised version (Proclamation 20-49.1) extends the moratorium until 11:59 p.m. on…
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