Washington law protects an employer’s confidential business information from being stolen or wrongfully disclosed. The Washington Uniform Trade Secrets Act prohibits the misappropriation of trade secrets and provides remedies to businesses whose trade secrets have been wrongfully acquired or disclosed. It is important for employers to understand the Trade Secrets Act in order to protect… Read More
Posts Categorized In: Seattle
Washington Court Reverses Firefighter's Favorable Jury Verdict
A federal judge in the Eastern District of Washington reversed a jury verdict and award in favor of a group of firefighters who had sued the city of Pullman, Washington for employment discrimination. In his opinion, the district judge reversed the jury’s decision that the firefighters had faced retaliation for defending a fire captain who… Read More
Fast Food Workers Seek to Raise Minimum Wage in Washington and Across United States
Fast food work can often be a thankless job. It seems like everyone goes to fast food restaurants, but hardly anyone appreciates the hard work, long hours, and relatively low wages that fast food workers must put up with every day. In addition, fast food restaurants have often been under the microscope for employment law… Read More
Seattle-Area Warehouse Roof Collapses in Heavy Rain
The roof of a woodworking warehouse in the Seattle suburb of Kent collapsed due to heavy rains in the area. According to an article from KHQ News, nobody was hurt by the roof collapse, which was due to drains in the corner of the warehouse being unable to deal with the sudden increase in rain…. Read More
Washington State and Federal Laws Protect Nursing Mothers
Pregnant women are protected from discrimination under Washington and federal law, but employers and employees may not be aware that new mothers also enjoy certain legal protections. One important issue that the laws address is the rights of breastfeeding mothers. Knowing these laws will help employers avoid employment lawsuits and will help employees protect their… Read More
Are Seattle Employers Ignoring the City's Sick Leave Law?
A recent University of Washington study shows that many Seattle employers do not comply with the city’s sick leave ordinance. According to the study, which surveyed over 1400 employers, 27.1% of employers do not offer their employees paid sick leave or any kind of paid time off. The study also showed that almost 40% of… Read More
Washington Agricultural Workers Settle Sexual Harassment and Retaliation Lawsuit
Five workers from a farm in Lind, Washington agreed to a $650,000 settlement with National Food Corporation for their sexual harassment and retaliation claims. An article in the Seattle Times reports that the workers were sexually harassed by their supervisor and then fired when they reported the harassment up the chain of command. The workers’… Read More
Washington Minimum Wage Law Applies to Employees Working for Commission
The Washington Minimum Wage Act (“MWA”) requires that employees’ wages at least equal the minimum hourly rate. The MWA is fairly straightforward for employees who are paid by the hour. However, the MWA can be complicated when workers are paid by commission or piece rate, because they still must receive at least the minimum wage…. Read More
Payroll Debit Cards and Washington Payroll Law
Paying employees with payroll debit cards has become increasingly common in states like Washington that allow this method. However, while these cards can be convenient, they can carry burdensome fees for employees and potential legal pitfalls for employers. For example, Seattle-based KING 5 News reports that a McDonald’s employee has filed a lawsuit claiming that… Read More
University of Washington Employees Face Ethics Charges
Two University of Washington employees committed ethical violations by earning overtime pay for personal internet use. An article from Seattle-based KOMO News Network reports that the State Ethics Board found that the UW employees violated rules regarding personal use of state resources. Other state employees can learn from this story to avoid being the subject… Read More