Controversies about unionization or employment rights rarely bring out the best in people. When disagreements arise about whether or not workers should unionize, almost everyone involved in the situation is likely to have a strong view about the right course of action, and can be quite aggressive in his or her quest to convince others…. 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.
Service Employees Union Declares an Impasse in Labor Negotiations with the State
The state of Oregon, as one of the biggest employers within the state, often faces tumultuous negotiations regarding its labor contracts with its employees. Just one example of this is the state’s ongoing negotiation with the service employees’ union, which recently hit a fairly major snag According to a report by the Statesman Journal, on… Read More
Pregnant Employees Often Face Discrimination
Employers routinely deny basic accommodations to pregnant employees, according to a recent report published by the National Women’s Law Center and A Better Balance. The report indicates that women are more likely to face pregnancy discrimination if they have jobs that are typically held by men or low-wage jobs. Regardless of where they work, it… Read More
Is Wage Theft Rampant At Fast Food Workplaces?
In early June fast food workers across the country, including in Seattle, staged a 24-hour strike at some of the most popular chains in the area: McDonalds, Subway, Taco Bell, and more. As we previously discussed, the workers had many general concerns about employment practices. One of the general themes of those participating in the… Read More
Union Alleges that Emergency Management Director Committed Unfair Labor Practices
The job of the Oregon Office of Emergency Management is to help leaders at both the state and local levels prepare for and respond to natural disasters and other types of emergencies. The biggest crisis the office has had to deal with in the last few months, however, is a labor controversy within its own… Read More
Investigators Find Restaurants Systematically Violating Wage and Hour Laws
In two of our recent blog posts(“Oregon Restaurant Industry Fights Limits on Tip Sharing” and”Tip Sharing Litigation Brings into Question the Limits of the Labor Department’s Authority”), we discussed how the restaurant industry in the Pacific Northwest had brought suit in Oregon’s district court against a Labor Department rule limiting tip-sharing arrangements among tipped and… Read More
Seattle City Council Passes "Jobs Assistance Bill" – Criminal Background Checks on Applications
Most economic indicators suggest that we are working our way out of the recession that struck several years ago. Yet, even though the general signs indicate things are improving, all Washington residents appreciate that it still remains very difficult to both get a new job and keep a current one. Unemployment is still higher than… Read More
EEOC Files Hiring Discrimination Lawsuit For Company Background Check Policy
Most Washington residents understand that the law forbids workplace discrimination based on a range of categories: race, gender, sexual orientation, etc. But less understood are the more complex forms that such discrimination can take. It is virtually never the case that an employee will explicitly say “We are not hiring you because you are X,”… Read More
Spokane Wage Gap – Is It a Problem?
The Spokane Journal of Business recently published an article which might cause worry among some in the area. The story noted how newly released information indicates that the average hourly wage in Spokane is about 6% behind the nationwide average–$20.65/hour compared with the $22.01/hour. According to data provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor, this… Read More
Blueberry Farmers Claim the Federal Government Denied Them Due Process in a Labor Investigation
Generally, one of the major functions of the United States Department of Labor is to ensure that employers act fairly toward their employees – paying them fair wages, not overworking them, and protecting them from harassment, among other things. According to the Oregon Farm Bureau, however, the Labor Department has overstepped its authority in investigating… Read More