Posts by ANITA ELDER
FINRA ARBITRATION AWARD
In a recent FINRA arbitration matter, Mr. Mark Davis obtained an arbitration award in favor of his clients. This customer dispute arose when Mr. Davis’ clients tried to sell investments in a trust account after their father passed. These were his wishes upon his passing. Mr. Davis’ clients informed the broker of their father’s passing.…
Read MoreComplex Protections for Federal Employees
Federal law protects employees in government service from acts of discrimination and retaliation. This includes Title VII, the ADEA, the Rehabilitation Act, the Equal Pay Act, and GINA. There are many complexities associated with these rights. A covered federal employee who experiences discrimination must contact an EEO counselor within 45 days. Failing to met deadline…
Read MoreFundraising for Girls on the Run
Thank you for your generous support for the Girls on the Run race that our firm ran this past week. It was great to get the word out for such a positive and impactful program for young girls in the Puget Sound. Although programming had to be put on hold this spring with the pandemic,…
Read MoreCongratulations to our 2020 Super Lawyers
We congratulate Alia Ahmed on her first appointment as Rising Star by Super Lawyers! Our attorneys are featured in the Washington Super Lawyers magazine for 2020 and are honored to be nominated for this achievement. https://digital.superlawyers.com/superlawyers/waslrs20/MobilePagedReplica.action? Alia F. Ahmed Jody K. Reich
Read MoreCOVID-19 Resources for Employees and Unemployment
For anyone trying to manage a layoff, furlough, job loss, or separation, we recommend accessing the resources at the Unemployment Law Project (ULP). The ULP has many free self-help resources online. They are also offering information and resources over the phone as well as ongoing webinars discussing the impacts of COVID-19 and unemployment benefits. The…
Read MoreAmended Law Protects Employee Medical Records
On Tuesday, March 31, 2019, Governor Inslee signed into law Senate Bill 6236, which amended RCW 49.60.510. As amended, the law provides more robust protections for employees who allege discrimination. Specifically, the law protects an employee’s ability to maintain the confidentiality as to most of their medical records. The law governs situations where an employee:…
Read MoreDSRD and Girls on the Run!
Our firm is raising funds this spring for Girls on the Run! Girls on the Run is an after school program for children focusing on health, self-esteem building, community involvement, and physical activity. This national program also trains children over a ten weeks to prepare for a 5K. Did you know 60% of the participants…
Read MoreNew Limits on Non-Compete Agreements
Effective January 1, 2010, Washington state enacted stricter laws regarding the use and enforcement of non-competition agreements. These restrictions are a significant victory for employees. RCW 49.62 et seq., includes new provisions rendering non-competes void and unenforceable in various circumstances. For instance, a non-compete is void and unenforceable if the employee earns less than $100,000…
Read MoreATTORNEYS CAN BRING WRONGFUL DISCHARGE CLAIMS
In-house attorneys in Washington are now expressly permitted to file lawsuits for wrongful discharge against former clients. This right is limited in scope. Any such lawsuit can only be filed “without violence of the integrity of the attorney-client relationship.” See, Karstetter v. King Cty. Corr. Guild, 193 Wn.2d 672, 682 (2019). This is a significant…
Read MoreJudgment in Hostile Work Environment Case
On August 30, 2019, Dethlefs Sparwasser Reich Dickerson, in conjunction with Dobson Hicks, obtained a $125,000 judgment against a regional service and wholesale company. This judgment resulted from allegations that a female employee was subjected to sexual harassment because of her sex, and then retaliated against by her colleagues and superiors because she reported the…
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