Employer access to employee social media content has been a hot topic for months (if not years). As we discussed in a post earlier this month, in Washington the issue made its way to the statehouse this session with the passage of Substitute Senate Bill 5211 which addresses the matter. You can view the actual… 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.
Should Employers Serve Alcohol At Company Parties?
Work is work. But it does not always have to feel that way. Company parties are a great way to employers and employees to connect with each other on a personal level and loosen up. With summer upon us, many Washington companies will be hosting BBQ’s and other mixers during or after work for their… Read More
Oregon House Passes New Protections For Domestic Workers
Many people who are financially well off think nothing of hiring housekeepers and nannies to help make their day-to-day lives run more smoothly. In the best scenarios, these domestic employees become part of the family and are treated with a great deal of love and respect. However, the picture is not always so rosy; we… Read More
City Employee Sues Portland For Failing to Provide a Fragrance-Free Workplace
One of the most important provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) is that employers cannot discriminate against qualified employees who happen to have disabilities. One of the main ways of preventing discrimination is requiring employers to make “reasonable accommodations” for certain mental or physical limitations that employees face. Installing ramps for… Read More
What's The Cost Of An Employee Smoke Break?
According to a recent study by Tobacco Control, smoke breaks are expensive not just for the employee that has to pay for the rising cost of cigarette packs, but for the employer as well. $5,800 per year for every smoker is the cost a business must pay for smoke breaks and the health issues that… Read More
Oregon's New Hairstyling Law Breaks Down Barriers to Employment
It is no exaggeration to say that race has played a fairly prominent role in the evolution of employment rights in American history. Whether it was the right of African-Americans to be paid for their labor at all, as opposed to being considered the property of other human beings, or the right of all people… Read More
Most Small Businesses Protect LGBT Employees
Employment laws that protect the rights of LGBT employees have been a hot button topic for some time now. In addition to marriage equality, workplace protections seek to make discrimination against LGBT employees similar to other protections individuals receive. Did you know that more than two-thirds of small business owners across the state of Washington… Read More
Tip Sharing Litigation Brings into Question the Limits of the Labor Department's Authority
In our last post, we discussed an ongoing legal battle between the United States Department of Labor and members of the restaurant industry in the Northwest. The case involves tip sharing arrangements at restaurants in which servers are required to pool either part or all of their tips together, and the resulting amount is redistributed… Read More
Oregon Restaurant Industry Fights Limits on Tip Sharing
As anyone who has worked in a restaurant knows, tips can be a huge source of stress among the staff. Since many servers are not paid a very generous base rate, they rely on tips as their primary source of income; as such, worries and frustrations surrounding poor tippers run rampant. In addition to these… Read More
Longshore Protesters Demonstrate on Both Land and Water Against Grain Lockout
As the Oregonian recently reported, the Coast Guard has recently become involved in managing safety in a lockout where protests are occurring both on land and on boats in the Columbia and Willamette rivers. This labor dispute is between longshore workers, who load and unload ships at the dock, and the grain companies Columbia Grain… Read More