Government Affairs
Panic buttons & the law: How you can prepare for 2020
A bill passed in the 2019 legislative session and signed into state law requires all employers in hotel, motel, retail, property services or a security guard entity to have all
ACTION ALERT: How will an overtime salary threshold of $80,000 by 2026 impact you?
The state Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) is working to update the state’s salary overtime threshold for executive, administrative and professional (EAP) employees over the course of six years
Government Affairs Regional Meetings coming this Fall
Join your local legislators, hospitality operators and the Washington Hospitality Association Government Affairs Team as they travel to your area for a regional meeting. Attending this interactive meeting will be
State Court of Appeals, Division I delivers multi-year lawsuit win dealing with liquor price regulations
OLYMPIA – Division I of the Washington State Court of Appeals issued an opinion in favor of the Washington Hospitality Association and other plaintiffs dealing with regulations on the pricing
L&I proposes overtime threshold of nearly $80,000 by 2026
By Nicole Vukonich The Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) has filed a rulemaking notice (CR-102) that would update the state’s salary overtime threshold for executive, administrative and professional (EAP)
Food Code and the costs to your business: The Department of Health needs your input
The state Department of Health, the Board of Health and the Food Safety Advisory Council have been working on a revision to the retail food rule (Chapter 246-215 WAC). Thank
Government Affairs Meetings this Fall
Join your local legislators, hospitality operators and the Washington Hospitality Association Government Affairs Team as they travel to your area for a regional meeting. Attending this interactive meeting will be
Government Affairs: We need you to stand with us!
By Paul Schlienz Standing together as one voice helps ensure that elected officials and government representatives understand our industry and recognize the strength of our association. Washington’s restaurants and
Top five tips to troubleshoot Paid Family and Medical Leave reporting issues
The Employment Security Department’s (ESD) Paid Family and Medical Leave division has put together the top five tips to help with troubleshooting any issues with reporting. As a reminder, the
On the Issue: The environment and efforts to ban single-use plastics
By Nicole Vukonich According to the United Nations Environment Program, researchers estimate that more than 8.3 billion tons of plastic has been produced since the early 1950s and about
2019 primary election results
After busy primary election campaigns, voters across the state turned out Aug. 6 to decide who will move on to the general election on Nov. 5. So far, 29.39% of
Session 2019: We came out OK
When I went up to the Hill on May 9 for the bill signing for Substitute House Bill 1798, regarding short-term rentals, I saw a lot of my peers who
On the Issue: Restrictive Scheduling
By Nicole Vukonich During the 2019 legislative session, there were efforts to pass a bill to create a statewide restrictive scheduling mandate for certain targeted industries, including hospitality. These
LCB Enforcement and Education needs your feedback
As part of an assessment of the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board’s (LCB) Enforcement and Education Division, an independent organization, Hillard Heintze, is conducting a survey of licensees. This
On the Issue: The proposed expansion of qui tam lawsuits
By Nicole Vukonich “Qui tam” is a Latin phrase meaning, “[he] who sues in this matter for the king as well as for himself.” Boiling it down, qui tam most