Employment
COVID-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 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…
Read More$475,000 Settlement in Sexual Harassment and Disparate Treatment Case
Attorneys Mark K. Davis and Aubrie Hicks secured a settlement on behalf of their client, a federal agent, against the United States Department of Homeland Security. The lawsuit was filed in December 2018 and alleged the federal government treated female agents less favorably in the terms and conditions of their employment as law enforcement offices. …
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