Weeks after the close of the Washington state polls, the final ballots have been counted and state officials announced yesterday that Proposition 1 passed with a mere 77-vote margin.
Helsell
Education Law Presentation: Civil Rights of Student Athletes with Disabilities
Last week at the 59th ELA Annual Conference, I spoke on the looming challenges of meeting the civil rights of student athletes with disabilities. Earlier this year I blogged about this topic and its potential ramifications.
Minimum Wage Ballot Success in SeaTac Points to Possible Changes in Seattle
For those who haven’t been following the polls for the recent November 5th election, despite a few ballots still left to count, it appears that SeaTac Proposition 1 (a measure to raise the minimum wage in SeaTac to $15/hr for hospitality and transportation workers in and around SeaTac Airport) will pass.
Reclassification of Obesity Lends Weight to Federal Discrimination Lawsuits
In June 2013, the American Medical Association (AMA) officially recognized obesity as a disease. Putting aside arguments within the medical community about the wisdom of classifying more than one-third of U.S. adults as ill, the AMA’s decision fuels legal arguments that the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) protects obese individuals from discrimination based on their obesity.
US Supreme Court Limits Local Government Land Use "Extortion"
On June 25, the United States Supreme Court announced an important decision on the ability of local governments to extract environmental (and presumably other) mitigations from private developers seeking land use entitlements. The case, known as Koontz v. St. John’s River Water Management District, severely limits this practice.
Employer Beware: NLRB Third Guidance Memorandum on Social Media
Over the past couple of years, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has been active in scrutinizing and striking down employers’ social media policies to determine if they violate union and non-union employees’ Section 7 rights to discuss wages and working conditions.
New Washington Law Tightens Social Media Privacy Rights for Employees and Job Applicants
Governor Inslee recently signed into law a bill tightening the social media privacy rights of employees and job applicants. The new law makes it unlawful for employers to require an individual to give access to his or her social networking account as a condition of employment
Not All Charities Are Very Charitable
Last week the Tampa Bay Times, Center for Investigative Reporting and CNN released a report on America’s Worst Charities. While the fraud and abuse uncovered is disturbing, the report provides a stark reminder of the importance of performing due diligence prior to making a charitable donation or bequest and properly identifying charities in your estate planning documents.
Alternative Dispute Resolution – A Better Way to Resolve Many Disputes
Anyone who has been to Court knows that the process can be expensive, time consuming, uncertain and extremely stressful. Not many people who have been through a trial have enjoyed the process, even if they’ve won
Legislature Update: Land Use
The 2013 Washington State Legislature wrestled with an 800 pound gorilla – education funding – and adjourned without reaching consensus on that issue. But in the process, several new laws passed that are relevant to those who are in land use or real estate.