http://www.elinfonet.com/starticles/48 Articles discussing workplace law in Washington state. Fri, 04 Jul 2008 16:07:36 EST en-us http://www.elinfonet.com/newscount.php?stateID=2301 Article: 2301 Wed, 02 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EST elin@elinfonet.com (Employment Law Information Network) On June 19, 2008, the Washington Supreme Court relied on legislative history and the plain language of Washington's unemployment insurance law to hold in Spain v. Employment Security Department, No. 7987-8 (June 19, 2008), that the listing of specific reasons in RCW section 50.20.050(2)(b) for which an employee may voluntarily leave a position for "good cause" and still collect unemployment insurance benefits is not exclusive. As a result of court's decision in Spain, the door is now open for employees to generally argue that they are entitled to unemployment compensation because they left work voluntarily for "good cause," even if the reason they quit their job does not fall within one of the specific reasons enumerated in the statute. http://www.elinfonet.com/newscount.php?stateID=2225 Article: 2225 Wed, 14 May 2008 00:00:00 EST elin@elinfonet.com (Employment Law Information Network) The recently concluded 2008 legislative session resulted in the enactment of several new laws that affect Washington employers and employees. Following are summaries of the most significant new laws. http://www.elinfonet.com/newscount.php?stateID=2195 Article: 2195 Fri, 25 Apr 2008 00:00:00 EST elin@elinfonet.com (Employment Law Information Network) Washington State has enacted legislation guaranteeing "reasonable leave" for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking. The new law, effective April 1, 2008, aims to "reduce the devastating economic consequences" for victims of these crimes and to better protect their safety. The new legislation applies to all public and private employers, with the exception of temporary staffing agencies, regardless of size. http://www.elinfonet.com/newscount.php?stateID=2194 Article: 2194 Fri, 25 Apr 2008 00:00:00 EST elin@elinfonet.com (Employment Law Information Network) Washington's new leave law allows an employee whose spouse is a member of the United States Armed Forces, National Guard, or Reserves to take up to 15 days of unpaid leave while his or her spouse is on leave from deployment, or before and up to deployment, during times of military conflict declared by the President or Congress. The new law, effective June 12, 2008, applies to all public and private employers. Eligible employees are entitled to the 15 days of leave for each deployment of the military spouse. http://www.elinfonet.com/newscount.php?stateID=2041 Article: 2041 Wed, 02 Jan 2008 00:00:00 EST elin@elinfonet.com (Employment Law Information Network) A Washington Supreme Court ruling increases the risk that a non-exempt employee's commuting time will be deemed compensable when the employee drives a company vehicle between home and the job site. In Stevens v. Brink's Home Security, Inc., No. 79815-0 (Oct. 18, 2007), the Washington Supreme Court ruled that a class of plaintiff installation and service technicians must be paid for the time they spent driving a company vehicle between their homes and their first and last job sites of the work days. http://www.elinfonet.com/newscount.php?stateID=2019 Article: 2019 Wed, 19 Dec 2007 00:00:00 EST elin@elinfonet.com (Employment Law Information Network) Employers have an inherent need to obtain personally identifying information about employees and applicants for employment for many purposes, including identification and verification of employment status, background checks, benefits and leave administration, contact information and simply for running their businesses. But how employers use and maintain such information is increasingly subject to legislation in many states, including Oregon and Washington. http://www.elinfonet.com/newscount.php?stateID=1966 Article: 1966 Wed, 03 Oct 2007 00:00:00 EST elin@elinfonet.com (Employment Law Information Network) Washington's minimum wage will increase to $8.07 an hour effective January 1, 2008, an increase of 14 cents over 2007. The state minimum wage applies to agricultural and non-agricultural jobs in Washington, including tipped employees, as Washington law does not recognize a tip credit. http://www.elinfonet.com/newscount.php?stateID=1963 Article: 1963 Tue, 02 Oct 2007 00:00:00 EST elin@elinfonet.com (Employment Law Information Network) In an effort to shore up compliance with its unemployment insurance program, particularly among small businesses, Washington has amended its unemployment insurance law to require employers to register certain principals of their organizations with the Employment Security Department (ESD). The new law, SB 5373, Ch. 146, 2007 Washington Laws, became effective July 22, 2007. It requires all corporate entities, including those that are not incorporated, with employees in Washington to register with the ESD by providing "the names and social security numbers of the owners, partners, members, or corporate officers of the business, as well as their mailing addresses and telephone numbers and other information the commissioner may by rule prescribe." Id. at Sec. 1(2)(a). http://www.elinfonet.com/newscount.php?stateID=1871 Article: 1871 Mon, 11 Jun 2007 00:00:00 EST elin@elinfonet.com (Employment Law Information Network) On May 4, 2007, Governor Christine Gregoire signed Substitute Senate Bill 5340 (SSB 5340), which was enacted by the Washington State Legislature during the 2007 legislative session to add new statutory definitions of "disability" and "impairment" to the Washington Law Against Discrimination. The law becomes effective on July 22, 2007, and applies to "all causes of action occurring before July 6, 2006" as well as "all causes of action occurring on or after the effective date" of July 22, 2007. http://www.elinfonet.com/newscount.php?stateID=1855 Article: 1855 Thu, 17 May 2007 00:00:00 EST elin@elinfonet.com (Employment Law Information Network) A new act broadly redefining "disability" under Washington state law will have the likely effect of requiring employers to treat nearly all medical conditions as a disability.