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On March 12, 2022, Washington, Oregon, and California joined other states across the country by lifting mandates that required the use of masks in most indoor and some outdoor settings. Two weeks prior, the governors of these states cited declining COVID-19 cases and announced a unilateral move to ending mask...

Over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, many employers allowed their workforce to perform their jobs remotely to mitigate the risk of exposure. Now that COVID-19 cases have decreased, some employers have begun to resume in-person operations and called employees back to the office. Some employees may not be ready...

For the first time in history, employers have had to navigate workers’ compensation insurance during a global pandemic. It seems that just as quickly as new information comes out to address one situation, a new concern emerges, often leaving businesses scrambling for answers. In this post, you will find answers to...

Employers considering requiring their employees to get vaccinated against COVID-19, whether by policy choice or required by a federal, state, or local mandate, have much to consider before implementing such a policy. Unionized employers have even more to consider.

In mid-May 2021, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) announced that individuals who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 no longer have to wear a face covering or physical distance in most settings. Following the CDC announcement, Washington and Oregon followed suit, updating state guidance and relaxing physical...

As businesses previously forced to close move toward reopening or bringing furloughed employees back to work, employers must heed a disturbing trend of increased employee lawsuits arising from doing business during a pandemic. Federal Court employee lawsuits rose more than 215% from March 2020 to May 2, 2020....

Over the past several days, Washington, Oregon, and Idaho have announced a gradual lifting of ”stay home” orders and reopening of non-essential businesses. In order to ensure the safety of employees and compliance with new requirements, employers must be mindful of federal and state guidelines before and during the...

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, many employers face difficult decisions regarding business operations. Decreased product demand, staff shortages, and ever-changing regulations are just some of the challenges employers are facing. Do employers also need to be worried about a surprise state safety inspection?

In light of the current pandemic, the employer-employee relationship is more critical than ever. As companies transition to remote work at an unprecedented magnitude, this new arrangement can leave people at all levels of the organization confused, nervous, and frustrated. Without a strong employee relations plan or...

Employers are required to reasonably accommodate employees under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and state disability laws. The ADA prohibits discrimination by an employer against any “qualified individual with a known disability” regarding job applications, hiring, advancement, termination, compensation,...