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.
Blog
NLRB Back on the Move
Although much of the NLRB agenda has been thrown into question with the general belief that the Supreme Court will void President Obama’s NLRB recess appointments and thus the decisions made thereunder, expect that the Board will promptly revisit all of those rulings and reinstate them.
Supreme Court Watch – Fall Update
Despite the government shutdown, the Supreme Court of the United States is forging ahead with its schedule for the October 2013 term. The fall schedule of arguments carry a number of direct and potential impacts for employers.
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.
Washington Supreme Court Supports Elderly Woman's Wishes
The Washington Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the guardian of an elderly woman did not act negligently by not forcing an elderly woman into a nursing home against her wishes. The decision reversed the Washington Court of Appeals which had found that the guardian had acted negligently when they didn’t set aside the clients wishes and replace with their own
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.
US Supreme Court Rules on Same Sex Marriages
The rulings from the Supreme Court mean that same sex married couples in Washington will receive the same federal benefits as opposite sex married couples.
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.