On Friday, March 20, 2020, the U.S. Treasury Department, Internal Revenue Service and Department of Labor offered employers some encouraging reassurance with respect to the financial and practical impacts of the newly-enacted Families First Coronavirus Response Act (the "Act")... continue reading »

On March 18, 2020, President Trump signed into law H.R. 6201, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (the "Act"). This new law takes effect on April 2, 2020 and will continue through December 31, 2020... continue reading »

Washington has a new law that significantly restricts the enforceability of non-competition agreements in this state. The practical effect of Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1450-- which was signed into law by Governor Inslee on May 8, 2019 and is scheduled to take effect as of January 1, 2020-- is that employers who utilize "non-competes" must re-evaluate this strategy, as to both their existing and future non-competition agreements... continue reading »

Effective January 1, 2019, Washington will become the fifth state to offer paid "family and medical leave" benefits to employees, pursuant to a new state insurance program. This insurance program, codified in Chapter 50A.04 RCW, will provide partial income replacement for eligible workers who are on leave for a covered family and medical reason... continue reading »

In the flurry of winning an election, taking the oath of office may seem like a back burner issue. But ensuring that the oath is administered correctly is essential for starting a term of office on the right foot. Recall that one misplaced word led to President Obama taking his first oath twice out of an abundance of caution... continue reading »