StokesLaw™ Briefs

On November 8, 2016, Washington voters approved mandatory sick leave for employees and a statewide minimum wage increase. Initiative 1433 passed with a 59 percent voter approval rate, according to the most recent election tally, and will require many Washington employers to make significant changes. Krista Nelson explains what steps employers should take to prepare for these changes.

Washington wine grape growers enjoy automatic super-priority lien status on wine grapes they sell to wine producers; however, this priority can be lost if growers fail to timely file wine producer lien statements. Charissa Johnston and Dustin Yeager explain how growers can avoid losing this priority.

The Washington Department of Labor and Industries announced that piece rate workers who earn a nondiscretionary bonus are entitled to additional rest break pay. Sarah Wixson explains the impact of this policy and how employers should calculate rest break pay.

The Department of Labor has issued new rules for overtime pay, which go into effect in December. Krista Nelson and Kelby Fletcher outline the new rules and the options employers will need to consider.

Stokes Lawrence Velikanje Moore & Shore Shareholder Brendan Monahan was recently profiled in a post by Good Fruit Grower. The post highlighted tips Brendan shared for agriculture employers considering hiring workers under the H-2A visa program.

A Washington Supreme Court decision fundamentally changed how agricultural businesses must think about the Farm Labor Contractor Act (FLCA) and the way in which farming and other agricultural operations are managed in Washington. The Stokes Lawrence Velikanje Moore & Shore Agriculture group explains what this means to Washington farmers.