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Apr 06 2026
Employee BenefitsLabor RelationsWage and Hour

More Washington bills signed from 2026 legislative session

More bills from the 2026 Washington legislative session have been signed into law by Governor Bob Ferguson. We previously reported on several bills from this session; here are four additional laws of interest to employers: SSHB 2105 Immigrant Worker Protection Act: Within 5 business days of receiving a notice of an I-9 inspection, employers must post and…

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Apr 02 2026
Employee ClassificationsWage and Hour

Q&A: Managers have to mostly manage, or lose overtime exemption

Question: A store manager who recently quit is now demanding a huge amount of overtime pay, claiming that they spent most of their time doing nonmanagement tasks. We classify all of our store managers as exempt from overtime. What is our exposure? Answer: The answer will depend heavily on all of your store managers’ normal…

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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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Feb 20 2026
DisabilityHiringQ&A

Q&A: Job descriptions, essential functions, and the ADA

Question: We have a shop technician who sometimes works on welding projects when we have low staffing. Welding is not included in their written job description even though they do it on a routine basis. Do we have to update their job description to reflect the welding duties? Answer: You should. In a recent case,…

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Feb 06 2026
Harassment & DiscriminationWage and Hour

Q&A: Beware of discrimination in applying compensation plans

Question: One of our commission-based employees returned from a two-month leave of absence due to pregnancy. She says she was denied wages owed under her commission plan, but she wasn’t actively working to earn the commissions. Do we have to pay her? Answer: It depends on what the commission plan says and whether the company…

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Jan 26 2026
Wage and HourWashington

WASHINGTON Q&A: Rising cost of missed meals and rest periods

Question: We keep hearing about lawsuits against companies for not complying with Washington’s meal and rest period requirements. What’s really the financial risk and what can we do about it? Answer: The financial risk is substantial. Class action lawsuits have become prevalent in Washington, claiming nonexempt (hourly) employees are owed penalties and damages for missed…

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Dec 06 2025
Wage and Hour

Timing of paydays may bring an extra pay period in 2026 or 2027

If you pay your employees on a weekly or bi-weekly basis, the 2026 or 2027 calendars may include an “extra” payday. Many employers pay employees every week (usually 52 paydays per year), or every other week (usually 26 paydays per year). These regular paydays account for 364 days each year. But, since there are actually…

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Dec 02 2025
Drug and AlcoholHarassment & DiscriminationWage and Hour

Holiday parties: Follow these tips to minimize liability

The holiday season is rapidly approaching, and a company holiday party is a great way to reward employees for their hard work. As we enter a festive season, here are some recommendations and tips to safely enjoy a celebration with coworkers and reduce liability for your organization. No harassment: Remind your workers that the anti-harassment…

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Oct 17 2025
Wage and HourWashington

More Washington cities announce 2026 minimum wage increases

The cities of Everett, Renton, and SeaTac recently announced their new minimum wage rates that go into effect on January 1, 2026. Everett minimum wage: The City of Everett’s new minimum wage rates (excluding tips/service charges) are: Large employers (500+ employees, including franchises under common control): $20.77 per hour, up from last year’s $20.24 per…

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Oct 17 2025
Leave LawsWage and Hour

Q&A: Know how to properly calculate 12 workweeks of FMLA leave

Question: We generally give everyone 480 hours in their federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) leave bank. We have a production employee whose schedule requires them to work 86 hours every two weeks, including mandatory overtime. They have requested leave under the FMLA and believe they’re entitled to more than 480 hours of leave….

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Oct 13 2025
Wage and HourWashington

Washington minimum wage and exempt salary will rise in 2026

The state of Washington has announced increases to the minimum wage rate and to the salary thresholds for exempt white-collar employees, effective January 1, 2026. The cities of Bellingham, Burien, Seattle, Tukwila, and unincorporated King County have also announced their minimum wage increases for 2026. We’re still waiting for updates from the cities of Everett, SeaTac,…

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Sep 19 2025
Wage and HourWashington

Any applicant in Washington can sue for noncompliant job posting

The Washington Supreme Court recently ruled that job applicants aren’t required to prove that they had a genuine interest in a job in order to collect damages for noncompliant job postings under Washington’s Equal Pay and Opportunities Act (“EPOA”). Two applicants brought a class action lawsuit alleging that they applied for jobs at a retail…

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