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News, trends and analysis in employment law, HR, safety & workers' comp

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Oct 22 2024
Harassment & Discrimination

Q&A: You may be liable for harassment before it’s reported

Question: We recently received a discrimination and harassment claim from a former employee who quit his job. This is the first we’ve heard about these issues; they were never reported to HR. We can’t be liable for claims that were never reported, right? Answer: Wrong, you could be liable. Employers are legally responsible for any…

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Oct 21 2024
Disability

Q&A: Give supervisors tools to manage employee mental health issues

Question: Our long-term, well-liked employee just quit, saying she’s been struggling with depression and anxiety for over a year. Her supervisor mentioned a few months ago that she was using sick leave more frequently and he noticed she hadn’t seemed like herself, but he didn’t follow up and she never asked for an accommodation. We’re…

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Oct 07 2024
Wage and HourWashington

WASHINGTON: Noncompete salary thresholds rise for 2025

The Washington Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) announced increases to the minimum salary thresholds for noncompete agreements, which will take effect on January 1, 2025. Washington law prohibits noncompete agreements with individuals who earn less than the applicable annual salary threshold. L&I publishes separate thresholds for employees and independent contractors which are both adjusted…

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Oct 07 2024
Wage and HourWashington

WASHINGTON: Minimum wage and exempt salary increases in 2025

The state of Washington has announced increases to the minimum wage rate and the exempt salary thresholds for employees, effective January 1, 2025. These increases impact several state wage requirements that you’ll want to be aware of if you have employees in Washington. The cities of Bellingham and Burien have also announced their minimum wage increases for…

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Oct 07 2024
Q&ASafety and Health

Q&A: Failing to address safety issues can shut down your business

Question: We have a couple of areas where our equipment or practices are out of compliance, but our employees prefer the efficiency and ease of our current practices. While we know we run the risk of getting cited by OSHA, we also feel that safety citations are just a cost of doing business. Do other…

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Oct 07 2024
Harassment & DiscriminationQ&ATermination & Resignation

Q&A: Words matter when communicating a termination decision

Question: We have several reasons to terminate a long-term employee whose performance and attitude have declined to the point of no return, but we don’t have good documentation. He says he cannot wait to retire but has not given us a date. We’d like to keep his termination amicable, acknowledging his length of service with…

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Oct 03 2024
Workers’ Comp

Kept-on-Salary Misconceptions Exposed: What You Need to Know

Are you making costly mistakes with Kept-on-Salary (KOS)? Many Washington employers are surprised to learn that common assumptions about KOS can lead to unexpected costs and missed opportunities. In this article, we’ll reveal lesser-known truths about KOS for managing workers’ comp claims, and clarify its strategic use. Myth: KOS is best used for 30-90 days…

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Sep 20 2024
Safety and HealthWashington

Washington L&I issues new rules for voluntary use of PPE

The Washington Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) has adopted three new permanent rules allowing employees who aren’t required to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) to voluntarily use PPE to protect themselves from noise, dust, or possible infectious or contagious diseases. PPE includes items such as “face masks, filtering-facepiece respirators, goggles, helmets, head covers, gloves,…

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Sep 20 2024
Safety and Health

Review safety procedures before using new equipment or processes

Taking the time to review safety procedures and address any concerns before using new equipment or changing a process is an important tactic to prevent injuries. A common cause of injuries is lack of awareness of a change to a process or piece of equipment. Processes involve steps to complete a task or activity, including…

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Sep 20 2024
ArizonaCaliforniaOregon

H-2A worker protections back for some

On September 10, 2024, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced it was moving forward with its far-reaching H-2A worker protection rule (also known as the Farmworker Protection Rule) in every state where it isn’t blocked, including Arizona, California, Oregon, and Washington. As we previously reported, a federal court blocked the Farmworker Protection Rule in 17…

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Sep 18 2024
Safety and HealthWebinarWorkers’ Comp

Webinar Recording: Safety Leadership – Building Safety Culture

One of the most fundamental and impactful workers’ compensation cost mitigation strategies is to establish and maintain a safety culture that prioritizes all workers going home each day in the same condition as they arrived. A culture that values people as an organization’s most valuable asset. In this recorded webinar, you’ll learn what it takes…

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Sep 16 2024
Safety and HealthWage and Hour

OSHA proposes heat illness regulation

On August 30, 2024, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) proposed new regulations to protect workers from heat illness. Comments are due by December 30, 2024. OSHA is proposing the following: Covered workplaces: Both indoor and outdoor workplaces would be covered, unless there is no reasonable expectation of exposure at or above the…

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If you are a manufacturing or agriculture employer in Washington and committed to keeping your employees safe and working, you may be eligible for Vigilant's workers' compensation Retro or claims management programs. To see if you qualify fill out our release form now, or contact us.

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