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How to get your employee file in Washington state

If you work — or recently worked — in Washington State, you have a powerful and often overlooked right: access to your own employee file. Knowing how to request it, what you’re entitled to receive, and what additional documents you can demand after termination can help give you clarity and leverage. Here’s a step-by-step guide to request your employee file. Step 1: Make a written request To get your personnel file, you simply need to make a written request to your employer. E

What does “LNDR” mean in Washington employment Law?

Washington is an at-will employment state. That means employers can legally terminate an employee at any time, for almost any reason — or no reason at all. But even in an at-will state like Washington, employers cannot terminate or discipline an employee for an unlawful reason. When an employer takes adverse action, it must be able to point to a legitimate, non-discriminatory reason, often shortened to LNDR. Understanding what LNDR means — and how it is used — is central to

Disparate treatment at work: what it means — and what to look for

Disparate treatment is a form of workplace discrimination that occurs when an employer treats an employee worse than others because of a protected characteristic—such as race, sex, age, disability, pregnancy, religion, or sexual orientation—or because the employee engaged in protected activity, like reporting discrimination or requesting an accommodation. In plain terms, it means this: The same rules exist, but they are applied differently to you, because you belong to a prot

FMLA and Washington Paid Family and Medical Leave: What employees should know

Most employees don’t start researching leave laws until they’re already under stress. You may be dealing with a serious health issue, welcoming a new child, or caring for a family member—while HR starts using acronyms like FMLA and PFML and expects you to keep up. In Washington, two laws usually come into play in these moments: the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and Washington Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML). They sound similar, but they serve different purp

Lawsuit vs. arbitration: What employees should know

Employees sometimes come to us wanting to pursue a lawsuit, but it’s not always that simple. Many workers have signed an arbitration agreement as part of their hiring paperwork, especially at larger companies. Because of this, not everyone is allowed to file a lawsuit in court. It’s still important to understand the difference between a lawsuit and arbitration, because the two processes work very differently — and your rights can look different in each one. What is a lawsuit?

Justice often comes in the form of money

When people come to us, they often say what they want most is justice. They want their employer to take responsibility, to acknowledge what happened, and to make things right. We want that too. But in the world we live in, accountability often takes the form of money. When a company has to pay for breaking the law, whether through discrimination, retaliation, or wrongful termination, it’s a sign that their actions have real consequences. That may not be the kind of justice yo