HR Insights articles

Long-term care update: WA Cares Fund may be delayed in 2022

Dec 08 2021

In response to criticisms about the WA Cares Fund long-term care program, as well as a pending class action lawsuit, the Governor’s office and some legislative leaders may seek to delay the implementation of the program during the 2022 legislative session.
AWC releases new Equity Resource Guide to help cities promote equity

Dec 08 2021

AWC has released a new equity tool to support cities in improving the diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in their operations, policies, and workforces: the AWC Equity Resource Guide: Tools and case studies for Washington’s cities.
State Auditor releases guidance on pensions reporting as more pension plans become fully funded

Dec 08 2021

In November, the State Auditor’s Office released guidance on how changes in the “fully funded” status of several state-sponsored pension systems will change the reporting requirements that local government employers must comply with.
New federal emergency heat exposure rules announced

Oct 12 2021

The U.S. Department of Labor has begun working on federal extreme heat exposure labor rules that are inspired by the emergency heat rules adopted in Washington State earlier this summer.
Long-term care tax exemption applications are now live; legislative changes to WA Cares Fund expected

Oct 12 2021

The last two months on the COVID-19 vaccine front have been busy ones at both the state and federal levels.
More on COVID-19 vaccines: Federal OSHA rules, mandates, and boosters. Oh my!

Oct 12 2021

The last two months on the COVID-19 vaccine front have been busy ones at both the state and federal levels.
COVID-19 vaccine roundup: Washington developments for state workers, bargaining the mandates, and workplace safety

Oct 12 2021

The last two months on the vaccine front have been busy ones. In Washington, more cities are deciding to begin their own vaccine mandates as a condition of employment, while other larger cities that did not plan on vaccine mandates may be required to do so because of an upcoming federal labor regulation.
Guidance released for recently passed HR laws – HELSA and law enforcement arbitrations

Oct 08 2021

Readers of AWC’s Legislative Bulletin know that several HR and labor bills were passed in the last legislative session, including new labor laws protecting employees during health emergencies and a new system for handling grievance arbitrations for law enforcement officers.
L&I announces increase in 2022 state minimum wage

Oct 08 2021

On September 30, the Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) announced an increase in the state minimum wage from the current $13.69 to $14.49 per hour starting in January 2022.
A third of cites in AWC’s vaccine mandate survey are considering their own mandate

Oct 08 2021

Following Governor Inslee’s state worker vaccine mandate, AWC sent out a short poll in September asking cities if they were planning to incorporate their own vaccine mandates into their COVID-19 response.
L&I publishes clean energy labor standards certification

Oct 08 2021

The Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) recently published the clean energy labor standards certification as a component of the 2019 Clean Energy Transformation Act.
AWC Salary and Benefits Survey results now available to help local governments in planning and budgeting

Aug 10 2021

Each year, AWC conducts a comprehensive survey of the salaries and benefits provided to employees in Washington’s cities and counties.
HR Insights asks for your contribution to the city human resources conversation in HR Field Notes

Aug 10 2021

With the launch of HR Insights earlier this summer, AWC created a space to focus on the needs of the dedicated public servants that handle city HR and labor issues across Washington.
Tips for cities navigating premium pay during the pandemic

Aug 10 2021

As the economy began to reopen this spring and summer, many employers in the public and private sectors found a labor market that was far tighter than originally anticipated and have struggled to fill open positions.
How to qualify for long-term care program exemptions

Aug 10 2021

Staff at AWC have received a lot of questions about the upcoming exemptions process for employees that do not wish to participate in the state WA Cares Fund program and forego the payroll tax.

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