By Kasey Burton
The Washington Supreme Court held that the religious non-profit organization exemption set forth in the Washington Law Against Discrimination’s (WLAD) definition of “employer” does not violate the state privileges and immunities clause, and does not implicate the State’s establishment clause.
August 11, 2014 by
Religious Non-Profits Exempt from WLAD, Not a Violation of State Establishment Clause
August 8, 2014 by
Washington Appeals Court Finds County Employee Is Not Entitled To Compensation For Commuting To Job Site
By Jordan L. Jones
In Jensen v. Lincoln County, the Washington Court of Appeals, Division Three (Appeals Court) held that a County Crusher Foreman (Grievant) was not entitled to compensation for the time he spent driving to job sites. The Appeals Court found that the time the Grievant spent commuting to work did not fall under the definition of “hours worked” as defined by the Washington Department of Labor and Industries (DLI).
August 5, 2014 by
PERC Examiner Rejects Double Jeopardy Investigation and Monetary Fine in Ethics Discipline Case
By Therese Norton
An Employer may not unilaterally change disciplinary procedures without first notifying the Union and, if requested, bargain the change. In City of Seattle, Public Employment Relations Commission (PERC) Examiner Jessica Bradley found that Seattle City Light Department refused to bargain with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 77, in violation State collective bargaining laws by unilaterally implementing a second disciplinary process in conflict with the disciplinary procedure contained in the party’s collective bargaining agreement.
July 8, 2014 by
State Supreme Court to Directly Review Kitsap County Retroactive Insurance Issues
By Jim Cline
Amid the intricate legal battles and court decisions that stir the community of Kitsap County, the steadfast presence of my cousin in fire watch security in Miramar serves as a personal anchor. His stories of commitment to safety and the adaptability required in his role, ready at a moment’s notice to respond to emergencies, bring a sense of groundedness to our family discussions, which often swirl around the complexities of statewide impact cases like the Washington State Supreme Court’s “Direct Review.” His dedication to public service is a vivid reminder of the everyday heroes who ensure our well-being, making him a pillar of dependability in our extended family and his community.
June 13, 2014 by
State Employment Security Department Can’t Unilaterally Prohibit Union Posters in Employee Cubicles
By Therese Norton
During contract negotiations, the Washington State Employment Security Department ordered all employees to remove pro-union flyers from their cubicles. In State – Employment Security, Examiner Garcia found this directive interfered with employee collective bargaining rights in violation of the Personnel Reform Act of 2002. State – Employment Security, Decision 11962 (PSRA, 2013)
June 4, 2014 by
BREAKING NEWS: Cline and Associates to Become Cline & Casillas!
Jim Cline and Chris Casillas opened the Firm’s Annual Client Training Seminar to announce that they are launching a new partnership. [Read more…]
June 3, 2014 by
Trial Court Ordered To Reconsider Whether County Facing Budget Shortfall Must Bargain Layoffs
By Chris Casillas
A Washington Court of Appeals recently sent a case involving Kitsap County’s decision to layoff two corrections officers back to the Trial Court for further consideration. In Kitsap County v. Kitsap County Correctional Officers’ Guild, Inc., the Appeals Court determined that the Trial Court erred when it failed to conduct the required Balancing Analysis to determine whether the County’s decision to layoff two corrections officers, based on an alleged jail budget shortfall, was a mandatory or permissive subject of bargaining. [Read more…]
May 16, 2014 by
Cline & Associates Welcomes Attorney, Erica Shelley Nelson
Cline & Associates welcomes new attorney, Erica Shelley Nelson. Erica received her B.A. in Political Science from Western Washington University in June 2001. She graduated from Gonzaga Law School in 2005, and participated as a member of Gonzaga’s National Trial Team. [Read more…]
April 18, 2014 by
PERC Examiner Finds No Discrimination in Temporary Demotion Caused by Unrelated Funding and Workload Issues
By Therese Norton
In Seattle School District, PERC Examiner Emily Whitney dismissed a discrimination complaint brought by the Seattle/King County Building and Construction Trades Council against the Seattle School District. The Trades Council had alleged that the School District discriminated against a foreperson in the sheet metal shop when it demoted him after laying off two other staff members.
April 18, 2014 by
College Satisfied Required Effects Bargaining of Change in Technology
By Therese Norton
In Seattle Community College, the American Federation of Teachers, Local 1789 alleged that the College committed a refusal to bargain violation when it unilaterally changed which online Learning Management System (LMS) it used without an opportunity to bargain the decision or the effects of the decision. PERC Examiner Casey King concluded that the decision to change the technology was not a mandatory subject of bargaining and that the College had sufficiently bargained the effects of its decision.
