Employment Law in Motion
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OSHA Amends Rule on Employee Representation During Safety Inspections
The Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is amending an existing rule to provide clarification on the right employees have to authorize a representative that accompanies an OSHA Compliance Safety and Health Officer (CSHO) during a workplace inspection.
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Coming Attractions in Washington: Changes in 2025 to Paid Sick Leave and the Equal Pay and Opportunities Act
Paid Sick Leave (PSL)
Since 2017, Washington has required employers to provide paid sick leave to non-exempt employees to be used for any of several purposes: (a) the employee’s personal medical care, (b) to care for a family member with medical need...
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Effective June 6, 2024, Washington Employers Face Restrictions on Communicating to Employees on “Political” or “Religious” Matters
Beginning June 6, 2024, a new Washington law prohibits employers from requiring employees to attend meetings which have the primary purpose of communicating the employer’s opinion on “religious” or “political” matters.
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BOLI Surprise Inspections: A Guide for Employers
Many Oregon employers may not be aware that the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) has the authority to conduct surprise, warrantless searches and inspections of employer premises and books to find violations of employment laws. While this program has been in place for many years, surprise inspections historically have not been a commonly used enforcement tool by BOLI. However, recent statements from the agency suggest a potential increased focus on surprise inspections and other enforcement actions, particularly against repeat offenders and employers previously cited for noncompliance.
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Washington Paid Sick Leave Alert: Construction Worker Definition Clarified by Washington Legislature
You may recall our alert just this January regarding a change to the sick leave rules that was uniquely applicable to Washington construction employers. See, Employment Law in Motion | The New Year Brings New Sick Leave Rules to Washington | Miller Nash LLP.
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Washington Expands Coverage of Its Noncompetition Statute to More Agreements
In 2019, Washington enacted a new statute limiting which employees can be covered by a post-employment noncompetition covenant, placing specific restrictions on such covenants. That statute explicitly excluded nonsolicitation covenants from coverage under the statute but defined nonsolicitation covenants ambiguously.
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