The Washington Supreme Court has ruled that employers are required to compensate agricultural piece-rate workers on a separate hourly basis for all nonproductive time spent performing activities outside of piece-rate picking work. This nonproductive time must be paid at the applicable minimum wage or a contractually agreed rate, whichever is…
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Why We Stay Vigilant: A few minutes with one of our Retro Group members. We recently asked the owner and president of Washington manufacturer, Fabrication Products, Inc.—a member for more than 17 years—what she thought about teaming with Vigilant. What made you decide to join the Vigilant Workers’ Comp Retro Group? We partnered with Vigilant in…
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Top 3 Questions You Should Ask When Evaluating a Retro Group Being part of a retrospective rating program is important for your business. The goal is to find a retro partner that matches the needs and culture of your company, is committed to helping you drive down your up-front premium costs,…
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Washington has significantly revised its Domestic Violence Leave law to prohibit discrimination against applicants or employees who are victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking. The new law applies to all employers as of June 7, 2018, and prohibits employers from: Refusing to hire an actual or perceived victim of…
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With Starbucks’ recent announcement that the company has achieved 100 percent pay equity by race and gender for U.S. workers performing similar jobs, most employers are left wondering how Starbucks got there—and how they can get there, too. The topic of equal pay continues to make headlines, and California, Oregon, and Washington are at the…
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Washington Governor Jay Inslee has signed two new laws intended to encourage public disclosure and discussion of sexual harassment in the workplace. Both of these laws take effect on June 7, 2018. #1: Substitute Senate Bill 6313 Substitute Senate Bill 6313 makes an employment agreement void and unenforceable if it requires an…
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Washington’s new “ban the box” law, which takes effect June 7, 2018, prohibits private employers from asking about criminal history before deciding whether an applicant meets the basic criteria for the position. It also prohibits job ads that automatically exclude people with criminal histories from applying (e.g., by saying “no felons” or “no criminal…
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A federal court of appeals has confirmed two serious citations from the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) against a fabrication shop when a 5,000 lb. pipe assembly was improperly rigged to an overhead crane. A pipefitter in the shop was a journey worker with 12 years of experience.…
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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…
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Safe and Aware
Vigilant's Individual Hazard Assessment Program Promotes a Good Pause