Compliance Stuff

Washington State Governor Bob Ferguson recently signed bills that will affect labor and employment law in areas such as reductions in force, pregnancy accommodations, noncompete agreements, traditional labor relations, and wage and hour claims. Quick Hits Washington State Governor Ferguson recently signed a wide range of labor and employment legislation into law, including bills that address reductions in force, pregnancy accommodations, noncompete agreements, traditional labor relations, behavioral health in the construction industry, and wage and hour claims. HB 1155, which bans noncompetition agreements with employees and independent contractors, will take effect on June 30, 2026; the other laws will take effect on June 11, 2026. These bills were signed by the governor in recent weeks: Separation of employment SB 6106  amends the  Washington WARN law  (called the STABLE Act) t o remove “any Indian tribe” from the definition of “employer.” It also limits the disclosure ...

Oregon and Washington just became the latest states to make striking employees eligible for unemployment compensation benefits. T his marks a major policy shift for both states – especially for Washington, which currently disqualifies both striking workers and locked-out workers for benefits. We’ll explain everything you should know about the new laws that could disrupt labor negotiations and union dynamics in the Pacific Northwest and how this growing trend is evolving across the country. Quick Background Unemployment insurance (UI) is a joint state-federal program that pays temporary cash benefits to qualifying unemployed workers. All states must comply with certain guidelines under federal law, but each state administers its own UI program and sets its own additional requirements. Most states treat striking employees as disqualified from receiving UI benefits, but many make exceptions for other types of labor disputes. For example, UI is available during lockouts (those work stoppag...

  States and cities are as busy as ever passing new workplace regulations throughout the calendar year. Here is our mid-year report summarizing the notable labor and employment laws that take effect from roughly July through October. Connecticut Bill / Ordinance / Regulation Main Topic Summary Effective Date Connecticut SB 1221 Benefits Includes personal care attendants in the definition of "covered employee" for purposes of the Connecticut Retirement Security Program; provides for civil penalties if an employer fails to enroll covered employees in the program. 7/1/2025 Connecticut SB 1455 Unemployment Compensation Amends the reporting requirements for employers under the state's unemployment compensation laws. 7/1/2025   This article provides a general snapshot of generally applicable labor and employment laws taking effect soon. Please note that while some of the laws listed below are industry-specific, this article is not meant to be all-inclusive. In addition, many st...