Beginning Friday, June 26, 2020, face coverings are required statewide in Washington State in indoor public settings and outdoor public locations where six feet of distancing cannot be maintained. The last section of this post addresses what this requirement means for your business. King County started it all in May 2020 when it issued […]
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Be Prepared for Reopening Your Business with COVID-19 Policies in your Employment Handbook
Recent changes in law and best practice guidance from the CDC and local authorities require employers to adopt written COVID-19 related policies before returning employees back to the office. For a fixed fee, we are offering the following: COVID-19 Package: COVID-19 plans and policies including: a general checklist for employers an infected employee response plan a […]
US Supreme Court Recognizes Employment Rights Based on Same-Sex and Gender Identity Status
The Supreme Court of the United States announced its 6-3 decision today affirming that Title VII protects employees from discrimination on the basis of sex, and that basis includes sexual orientation and gender identity. The Court addressed three consolidated cases in which each of the complainants was terminated shortly after their same-sex orientation or transgender […]
Time to Diversify Your Corporate Board – It’s the Law
Twenty-Five Percent Threshold On March 27, 2020, Governor Inslee signed Senate Bill 6037 into law, effective on June 11, 2020. Pursuant to Senate Bill 6037, a new section will be added to RCW 23B.08 (the Washington Business Corporation Act, “WBCA”), requiring all public companies in Washington to diversify their boards of directors by January 1, […]
Phase What? King County Now in “Phase 1.5”
On June 5, 2020, King County was approved for “modified Phase 1” under Washington State’s Safe Start Washington plan for reopening business in phases. Modified Phase 1 is not everything that Phase 2 is, but it’s more than Phase 1 where the county has been stuck while other counties have moved to Phase 2, and […]
Facial Coverings Required in Washington Workplaces
Beginning June 8, 2020, cloth face coverings and masks must be worn by all workers in all workplaces and job sites in Washington state.
COVID-19 and the Public Charge Rule
I have been getting numerous inquiries from clients regarding whether their receiving government benefits through CARES Act will affect their current or impending immigration statuses. USCIS started its expansive public charge rules as of February 24, 2020. What used to be not considered as public benefits triggering inadmissibility in the past got included such as […]
Washington Reinstates Protections for Domestic Violence Victims
On May 15, 2020, Washington State Legislature renewed Proclamation 20-45 which waives certain statutory requirements for domestic abuse victims seeking emergency protection during COVID quarantine. Our prior coverage on Proclamation 20-45 details the ways in which victims can seek emergency protection through electronic filing. On May 9, Senate Republicans denied the extension of these protective […]
Mask Up, King County!
Starting Monday, May 18, 2020, everyone in King County, Washington must wear cloth face coverings over their noses and mouths while at (a) “indoor public settings,” and (b) “outdoor public locations” where six feet of physical distancing from another person cannot be maintained. This is the written directive of Dr. Jeff Duchin by virtue of […]
Understanding the Paycheck Protection Program Loan Forgiveness Application
On a May 15, 2020, the Small Business Association (“SBA”) provided its first draft of the Paycheck Protection Program loan forgiveness application (“Loan Forgiveness Application”). Although there will be a great deal of work to do in order to unpack everything in the application from a legal and accounting perspective, it is helpful to take […]