Adjusting to the New Normal – Washington Claims Processing and COVID-19
As the impact of COVID-19 continues to reverberate through Washington, it has created numerous challenges for employers and claims managers who are working hard to…
L&I Offers Some Guidance on Active Retraining Plans through Office Careers as Moratorium On New Plans Remains in Place
In early March, the Washington Department of Labor of Industries announced a moratorium on approval of new vocational plans that include retraining by Office Careers….
Reductions in Hours, Furloughs, and Layoffs During COVID-19
A lot of employers are having hard conversations right now. A part of those conversations inevitably includes employment decisions. Many companies are trying to decide…
Oregon Workers’ Compensation Rule Updates During COVID-19 Crisis
Needless to say, there have been a lot of changes recently, not just in our daily lives, but also in claim processing issues. The WCD…
You still have time to register for SBH’s 2020 Washington Workshop!
It’s not too late to register for SBH’s 10th Annual Washington Workshop–Welcome to the Jungle! This year’s workshop is a live webinar hosted by SBH’s…
Washington: COVID 19 and Voluntary Termination/Unemployment Benefits
Workers’ Compensation Is time loss due if a worker performing modified duty takes a voluntary layoff in the context of COVID-19? According to RCW 51.32.090(4),…
Effective April 2nd: Employers Must Provide Paid Sick Leave and Paid FMLA Leave Related to COVID-19
On March 18, 2020, President Trump signed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (HR 6201) into enactment. These provisions are to take effect no later…
Washington – COVID-19 Incident Reports, Workers’ Comp, Wage and Leave Issues
With the recent news of Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Washington, we want to ensure everyone understands the guidelines for incident reports, workers’ compensation claims, and other…
Oregon – COVID-19 Incident Reports, Workers’ Comp, Wage and Leave Issues
As Oregon employers continue to face unique issues in the wake of the COVID-19 coronavirus, SBH has assembled this list of commonly asked questions addressing…
SBH Attorney Aaron Bass Testifies in Front of Washington State Senate
Attorney Aaron Bass testified on behalf of Washington Self-Insurers Association in opposition to SHB 2409. The bill not only increases the penalty amounts, it imposes…
SBH is Pleased to Announce its Newest Partner, Lauren Oda
Lauren Oda, an SBH attorney, since 2011 officially became Sather, Byerly & Holloway’s newest partner, effective January 1, 2020. Lauren provides defense counsel for employers…
After-Work Drinks: Things Employers Should Consider
Employers understand the risks associated with alcohol consumption at work, particularly for those employees who operate equipment or vehicles. But, employers often view the off-work…
Oregon Legislature Makes Sweeping changes with Workplace Fairness Act
In response to the national #metoo movement, the Oregon legislature passed the 2019 Oregon Workplace Fairness Act. The Workplace Fairness Act (the “Act”) takes aim…
Employer Disability and Leave Roundtable
Join SBH for the next Employer Disability and Leave Roundtable September 10, 2019. We invite you to join us September 10th for the next Kaiser…
WCB issues new rules related to translation of written documents at hearing
After several months of deliberation, the board passed new rules requiring translation of non-English documents for hearing. OAR 438-007-0045. The parties can either stipulate to…
Reminder: Oregon Minimum Wage Increased on July 1, 2019
For Oregon employers, the minimum wage increased again on July 1, 2019, part of incremental increases under a 2016 law. The new minimum wage rate…
2019 Oregon Legislative Update
It has been a busy year in the Oregon legislature, but there has been only one major change to the statutes governing workers’ compensation. Senate…
Oregon Supreme Court rules that medical services for conditions caused in material part by the work injury incident, not just accepted conditions, are compensable
In a much-awaited decision, the Oregon Supreme Court recently ruled in Garcia-Solis v. Farmers Ins. Co., 365 Or 26 (2019) that medical services for conditions…
Employer Disability Leave Roundtable on April 17th
Kaiser Permanente and Sather Byerly & Holloway are sponsoring a work group for Oregon and Washington employers related to leave management. This open-forum roundtable will…
WCD Issues New Rules Related to Medical Services
The WCD has written new rules related to medial services that will go into effect April 1, 2019. While there are a number of changes,…
Department of Labor & Industries Issues New Checklist for Willful Misrepresentation
The Department of Labor & Industries recently amended the process and published an amended checklist for employers seeking Willful Misrepresentation orders. The Department’s new checklist…
Documenting and discussing work performance issues with employees in relation to the ADA and FMLA
How many times have you heard Human Resources tell you to document, document, document? Well, it’s because of cases like Estep v. Forever 21. This…
Workers Compensation Board Reviewing Attorney Fees
The WCB is statutorily required to review claimant attorney fees every other year and it just held a public meeting to discuss the issue. Several…
Final Rules Issued for Oregon Equal Pay Law Effective January 1, 2019
The Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) recently issued final rules implementing the Oregon Equal Pay Law, most provisions of which take effect on January…
Do you manage employee leave for employees in Oregon or Washington?
Check out the new Oregon and Washington Absence and Disability Management group on LinkedIn. This new group is aimed at giving employers and HR professionals a…
