Archive For: Employment Advice & Counseling
Criminal Background Checks: Controlling Risks For Employee Related Litigation
By: Washington State Litigation and Employment Lawyer Timothy E. Steen
Employers face increasing litigation risks from the wrongful acts of their employees as the law of negligent hiring and retention expands. Employers are potentially liable for negligent hiring when employing an unfit applicant who poses an unreasonable risk of harm to others. If an employer should have known of an employee’s unfitness at the time of hiring and the employment leads to the harm of a third person, employers may face substantial liability. Additionally, if the employer learns of the employee’s unfitness during the course of employment, an employer may be liable to a later injured party for retaining that
Fair Scheduling Ordinance For Seattle Retail & Food Service Employers
By: Washington State Employment Law Lawyer Elizabeth L. Van Moppes
Seattle became the second major U.S. city to pass an ordinance addressing schedule predictability and flexibility for workers and employers. The “Secure Scheduling Ordinance” calls for better estimates and notification of hours, ensures workers have the right to rest between shifts, ensures workers receive predictability pay for erratic scheduling, and creates guidelines for employers looking to offer additional hours. Before this ordinance became law, large retail and food service establishments face inconsistent staffing needs on a daily basis, resulting in workers bearing the burden of irregular scheduling practices. A study commissioned by the City of Seattle found that such scheduling
Elizabeth L. Van Moppes Presents “Ethics In Investigations” 12-6-16
By: BeresfordBooth
On December 6, 2016 Beth will be presenting on Ethics in Investigations at the KCBA 13th Annual Ethics Workout at Washington State Convention Center in Seattle. For more information, please visit: https://www.kcba.org/secure/cleRegistration.aspx#312
Elizabeth L. Van Moppes Presents “Critical Skills For First-Time Supervisors And Managers” 9-21-16
By: BeresfordBooth
On September 21, 2016 Beth will be sharing “Critical Skills for First-Time Supervisors and Managers” for the Northwest Regional Primary Care Association. For more information, please see: http://www.nwrpca.org/events/event_details.asp?legacy=1&id=825660
Elizabeth L. Van Moppes Presents “The Danger Zones In Hiring And Interviewing” 9-15-2016
By: BeresfordBooth
On September 15, 2016 Beth will be giving a presentation on “The Danger Zones in Hiring and Interviewing” for the Western Washington Chapter of Institute of Real Estate Management. For more information, you can visit: http://www.irem27.org/ev_calendar_day.asp?date=9/14/2016&eventid=24
Santa Claus, The Employee
By: Washington State Employment Law Lawyer Elizabeth L. Van Moppes
Delivering presents to the good little boys and girls all over the world in a single night is hard work. Of course, Santa Claus makes it look easy with his twinkling eyes and merry dimples, magical sleigh, and team of eight tiny flying reindeer. But does that mean he is any less entitled to compensation? Of course not! Let’s just assume that Santa’s employer - the North Pole, obviously - is covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). To comply with the law, the North Pole, like any other employer, has to answer certain questions. First, do Santa’s job
5 Terms Every Employer Should Know About Disability Law
By: Washington State Employment Law Lawyer Elizabeth L. Van Moppes
The world of workforce management includes a multitude of “terms of art;” These are words or phrases that have taken on special meaning to human resources professionals and their counsel. Those terms related to disability discrimination law are particularly distinctive. Even those who are well-versed in other areas of human resources law, often find it difficult to understand the meaning of some of the more commonly-used words and phrases involved in this area of employee management. Unfortunately, supervisors, HR personnel, and employers who do not understand the meaning of the following five key phrases may fail to comply with the
OSHA Issues New Guide To Restroom Access For Transgender Workers
By: Washington State Employment Law Lawyer Elizabeth L. Van Moppes
One of the more challenging laws against discrimination involves workplace accommodations for transgender employees. This particular protected class has been the law in Washington State since 2006 but only recently been spotlighted with some help from Caitlyn Jenner. It is estimated that more than 700,000 adults in the U.S. are transgender. Under Washington law, "gender expression or identity" means having or being perceived as having a gender identity, self-image, appearance, behavior, or expression, whether or not that gender identity, self-image, appearance, behavior, or expression is different from that traditionally associated with the sex assigned to that person at birth. The
The $7.21 Million Question: Are Your Unpaid Internships Illegal?
By: Washington State Employment Law Lawyer Elizabeth L. Van Moppes
Last month, Viacom, Inc., the world’s sixth largest mass media company, settled a class-action lawsuit with 12,500 former interns. Viacom, the owner of Comedy Central, MTV and Nickelodeon, will have to pay out $7.21 million to interns who claim that they were paid less than minimum wage or not paid at all. While the initial suit was filed by an ex-MTV intern Casey Ojeda on August 2013, the deal will include all interns who worked in the company’s NYC offices from 2007-2013 as well as those who worked in their California offices from 2010-2013. By not paying these interns for