A recent investigation by the Washington State Auditor’s Office revealed that a former employee of the Department of Ecology had spent more than 85 hours giving coworkers massages while on the clock. The employee was training to become a massage therapist and was using state time to fulfill practice requirements to obtain her license. The… Read More
Employment Blog
Here you can find the most recent employment law news and commentary on cases around the country. If you need assistance with employment law, don't hesitate to call us.
Poll Indicates that Majority of Americans Favor LGBT Workplace Rights
The issue of lesbian, bisexual, gay, and transgender rights has been in the spotlight as of late, not least of all due to the highly anticipated decisions on the issue that were released by the Supreme Court recently. Those decisions, known colloquially as the DOMA and Prop 8 decisions, bolstered LGBT rights advocates and were… Read More
Proving Pretext in Age Discrimination Claims
A jury found that Seattle Central Community College (“SCCC”) did not wrongfully discriminate against 73-year old administrator Joan Ray because of her age, according to an article posted on Capitol Hill Seattle Blog. Ray had filed an age discrimination lawsuit against SCCC when it did not renew her contract and replaced her with a younger… Read More
Is Your Personal Information Safe with Your Employer?
Your confidential employment file contains everything an identity thief would need: your name, address, Social Security number, tax forms, and maybe even bank account numbers or medical information. Because employers have so much of their employees’ personal information, it is important that they keep it safe. However, a recent Seattle Times article reports that a… Read More
Supreme Court Limits Justice for Employees
In the midst of the United States Supreme Court’s decisions regarding DOMA, Proposition 8, and the Voting Rights Act, two decisions affecting discriminated employees have been overlooked by many. The decisions are both very important, however, since they both make it more difficult for employees to hold their employers responsible for Title VII violations. One… Read More
Employer's English-Only Policy Leads to Discrimination Lawsuit
An article from the Seattle P-I reports that the ACLU has filed a discrimination lawsuit on behalf of Bryan Baldizan and Lupe Gonzales, two Whole Foods employees suspended for complaining about the store’s English-only policy. We recently discussed that language gaps in the workplace might be a form of discrimination based on national origin. In… Read More
Nepotism in Oregon's Employment Department
Nepotism complaints are not very common in the state of Oregon, especially as compared to the large amount of annual complaints alleging discrimination or wage and hour violations. In fact, labor officials report investigating only a handful of possible nepotism cases each year. However, nepotism allegations have recently surfaced from perhaps the most unexpected place–the… Read More
Portland's New Ordinance Will Require Paid Sick Leave for Employees
In March of this year, Portland City Council unanimously voted to pass an ordinance that would require employees to be able to accrue paid sick leave. Taking effect on January 1, 2014, the guaranteed right to paid sick leave will apply to employees working at companies with six or more employees. Employers with five or… 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
Recent Wage Violations in Oregon Restaurants
The United States Department of Labor recently investigated 110 restaurants across the Portland area for possible violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Restaurants across the nation are notorious for wage and hour violations, and the Portland district director of the Labor Department, Jeffrey Genkos, has stated that restaurants are regularly on the department’s… Read More