A few years ago, contract workers at a Nevada Amazon warehouse filed a lawsuit in federal court against Amazon and their employer, Integrity Staffing Solutions, a contractor for Amazon. The lawsuit claimed the workers were entitled to unpaid wages for time spent waiting in line for security screenings before breaks and after shifts. Amazon requires… Read More
Posts Categorized In: Seattle
Seattle Venture Capitalist Supports Higher Minimum Wage
The Tri-City Herald recently reported on five “tycoons” who have taken an interest in the nation’s growing wage gap. While the five tycoons have different opinions on how the wage gap should be closed, they are all in agreement that something should be done. One of the five tycoons is Seattle’s Nick Hanauer. Hanauer believes… Read More
A Forklift, A Vending Machine, And Unemployment
The Seattle PI reported recently on an industrious, if misguided, Iowa man who really wanted his candy bar. Robert McKevitt was working at a warehouse when he decided to take a break. He put a dollar in a vending machine for a candy bar. The vending machine was known to have problems, but when the… Read More
Hanford Contractors Could Benefit From Obama’s Executive Order
As a New York Times article explains, President Obama announced in his State of Union Address his plans to help raise the minimum wage as much as he is able. The President will use an executive order to raise the minimum wage. An executive order is only effective for small and specific change, in this… Read More
Washington Employers & Wellness Programs
Recently the Seattle Times published a story focusing on the effects of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), or Obamacare, on employer provided health insurance benefits. The article addresses many employee concerns, such as reduced hours to avoid required employee coverage, increased premiums, and changes in benefits. It also discusses a feature and change that has… Read More
Flu Season and Seattle Paid Sick Leave
Flu season is in full swing and a recent Seattle Times story urges people to get flu shots and, if they have the flu, to stay home. Staying home allows for faster healing by making it easier to get rest, hydration, and medications, and helps prevent the spread of the flu, or any illness for… Read More
Seattle Family “Traps” Immigrant To Be Their Maid
The Seattle Times recently reported on a 73-year-old Seattle man’s probation sentencing. Romulo Almeda Sr. was sentenced to probation for hiding and underpaying his live-in Filipina maid for four years. Probation seems rather lenient considering he underpaid her more than $90,000 over the four years she’s worked for him and his family; however, at the… Read More
Minimum Wage Prospects Increase In Washington And Seattle
Just days before Washington’s Governor Mike Inslee called for a minimum wage increase in his State of the State address, Seattle’s Mayor Ed Murray stated he was looking for non-ballot measure methods for raising the minimum wage for city employees to $15 an hour. These decisions come on the heels of heavily covered SeaTac’s voter… Read More
An About-face Vote Keeps Boeing In Washington
Boeing is still working to establish its 777X production location, but has made significant step forward with the most recent labor vote. Near the end of last year, Washington’s machinists’ union voted against Boeing’s proposed contract. The union’s members were strongly opposed to the changes in their retirement benefit plans. The proposed contract would have… Read More
Seattle Program and Starbucks Helping Vets Get Jobs
Finding a job can be hard, particularly in this economy. Finding a job after spending years in the military can be even harder, especially if your training is in an area that does not transfer to civilian life easily or obviously. Laws can prohibit discrimination against returning veterans, but sometimes additional programs and assistance is… Read More