Government Affairs
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
Updates to law bars employers from asking pay history
Updates made to the state’s Equal Pay and Opportunities Act, which take effect July 28, bars employers from requesting a job applicant’s wage or salary history, except under certain circumstances.
2019 letter from the Government Affairs Committee chairs
Like you, we are members of the Washington Hospitality Association, representing each aspect of our industry – full-service and quick-service restaurants, and lodging. As your Government Affairs Committee (GAC) chairs,
2019 Legislative Session Review
By Nicole Vukonich Looking back on the 2019 legislative session, it was record breaking. With one of the largest incoming classes of freshman legislators in years, to having the
The 2019 Legislative Heroes for Hospitality
OLYMPIA, Wash. – The Washington Hospitality Association is proud to announce the 2019 Legislative Heroes for Hospitality: Sen. Mark Mullet, D-Issaquah, Sen. Curtis King, R-Yakima, Rep. Cindy Ryu, D-Shoreline, Rep.
L&I’s Public Hearings for draft overtime rule in July & August
To gain feedback from Washingtonians, the Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) will hold six public hearings across the state to gather feedback on the draft overtime rules which would
L&I Fact Sheet: Proposed changes to Washington overtime rules
This information provided here is from the fact sheet titled, “Proposed Changes to Washington’s Overtime Rules.” To see the original Fact sheet from the Department of Labor & Industries, click
Nine of the most important food code revisions you need to know about
The state Department of Health (DOH) has released their proposed draft revisions to update the Washington State Retail Food Code. This announcement continues the work that has taken place over