The Stoel Rives Labor & Employment Law Blog
Washington employers have spent the last several years adjusting to the state’s pay transparency requirements under the Equal Pay and Opportunities Act (EPOA) and responding to a growing number of lawsuits alleging noncompliant job postings.
Much of the litigation to date has focused on threshold questions: Who can sue? What constitutes a covered job posting?
Washington employers have spent the last several years adjusting to the state’s pay transparency requirements under the Equal Pay and Opportunities Act (EPOA) and responding to a growing number of lawsuits alleging noncompliant job postings.
In July 2025, the Washington Legislature substantially revised the remedies available for alleged pay-transparency job-posting violations. Among other changes, it…
The Ninth Circuit’s decision in Diemert v. City of Seattle highlights some of the potential risks associated with workplace diversity initiatives, specifically, whether and under what circumstances they arguably foster conditions that contribute to unlawful race discrimination or harassment.
Reversing the district court’s summary judgment decision, the Ninth Circuit held that a jury should decide…
For Washington employers, meal and rest break class actions continue to be one of the most active areas of wage and hour litigation. Despite years of litigation and recurring lawsuits challenging break practices across industries, there has been little indication that the Washington Legislature intends to revisit or modernize the state’s meal and rest break framework. As a result, employers remain subject to a regulatory scheme that is both highly technical and frequently litigated, creating ongoing exposure for large employers with hourly, non-exempt workforces.…
UPDATE AS OF 3/24/2026: This week, Governor Bob Ferguson signed HB 1155 into law, effectively banning workplace noncompete agreements and redefining permissible nonsolicitation agreements. The law takes effect on June 30, 2027. While its effective date is more than a year away, employers should begin preparing to adjust their policies and procedures accordingly. Once effective…
Washington’s legislature has approved two bills poised to significantly reshape employer obligations around layoffs and job postings. Though not yet signed into law, both bills—if enacted—will require prompt action and policy updates from employers operating in the state.
Mini-WARN Act: More Notice, Broader Reach
Senate Bill 5525, modeled on the federal WARN Act, ups the…
In the wake of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and persistent staffing challenges, both Oregon and Washington have enacted legislation to reshape how healthcare institutions plan for and staff their facilities. While addressing the same issue, the two states have taken distinct approaches. Oregon’s House Bill 2697, signed by Governor Tina Kotek, introduces stringent nurse-to-patient ratios…
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, the federal appellate court with jurisdiction over much of the western United States (including Washington, Oregon, California and Idaho), ruled last week that an employee’s temporary impairment can qualify as a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”). The Ninth Circuit’s decision resolves an important…
On January 13, 2022, the United States Supreme Court issued a stay of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (“OSHA”) COVID vaccine-or-test rule for large employers. Although the OSHA rule is effectively off the table, there are still a host of COVID rules that employers must comply with.
Stoel Rives has created an interactive map…
In a decision released late in the day on Friday, the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit lifted a stay against the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (“OSHA”) rule requiring employers with 100+ employees either to require their employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19 or to submit to weekly COVID-19 testing and…
