EOI Updates Fewer dogs won’t bring happiness, but this might December 30, 2019 / October 26, 2026 by Marilyn Watkins I need to stop griping about all the people who bring their dogs on public transit. I got particularly grumpy the other day when a woman had her dog sit on the seat next to her while weary commuters stood in the aisle. But the griping and grumpiness doesn’t cause the people or dogs to […] Read more »
EOI Updates It’s time to put the labor militancy back in labor day September 2, 2019 / October 26, 2026 by Marilyn Watkins “No man can be a good citizen unless he has a wage more than sufficient to cover the bare cost of living, and hours of labor short enough so that after his day’s work is done he will have time and energy to bear his share in the management of the community, to help in […] Read more »
EOI Updates West coast sweep July 3, 2019 / October 26, 2026 by Marilyn Watkins On Sunday, Oregon’s legislature gave final approval to a new law providing paid family and medical leave. And on Monday, Washington officially launched the web portal that allows employers to pay the premiums they’ve been collecting for our state program. With these two big milestones successfully passed, the day is fast approaching when workers up […] Read more »
EOI Updates Washington to raise the overtime salary threshold June 5, 2019 / October 26, 2026 by Marilyn Watkins After 43 years of inaction, Washington State plans to update the overtime threshold for salaried workers. The threshold is now less than minimum wage. As a result, you might be losing out on hundreds of dollars from your weekly paycheck, along with sick leave and personal time. Every worker with an hourly wage earns overtime […] Read more »
EOI Updates We’re number 2! April 24, 2019 / October 26, 2026 by Marilyn Watkins A new study shows that teachers face a significant wage penalty compared to other college-educated professionals in almost every state. Washington is second-worst, trailing only Arizona, with teachers making 31.6 percent less than similarly educated professionals. Meanwhile, school districts across the state are scrambling to find enough teachers to staff their classrooms, and the Legislature […] Read more »
EOI Updates Senate passes ban on employers asking about wage history April 12, 2019 / October 26, 2026 by Marilyn Watkins Washington’s State Senate today took another step forward for gender pay equity, passing HB 1696, which prohibits employers from asking applicants about their wage history. The vote was strongly bipartisan, with majorities of both Democrats and Republicans supporting the bill. The Senate reached that bipartisan consensus by amending provisions about pay scale transparency that were […] Read more »
EOI Updates Why we need capital gains taxes (on the rich) April 3, 2019 / October 26, 2026 by Marilyn Watkins We’ve been pretending we can fund quality public services in Washington on the cheap, and now it’s catching up with us. We need more from state services than a generation or two ago. We expect public schools to provide more challenging curricula with smaller class sizes, comprehensive special education, and counseling to help kids cope […] Read more »
EOI Updates Trump’s overtime change won’t help Washington March 8, 2019 / October 26, 2026 by Marilyn Watkins President Trump’s Department of Labor (DOL) has announced a proposed new overtime salary threshold of $679 per week, or $35,308 a year. The proposed new rule will leave millions of American workers toiling long hours below a living wage. Overtime rules require employers to pay salaried workers who make less than the threshold additional wages […] Read more »
EOI Updates Five statewide bills to make women’s lives easier March 8, 2019 / October 26, 2026 by Marilyn Watkins In time to celebrate International Women’s Day, the Legislature is tackling a range of issues central to opportunity and economic security for Washington women, including pay discrimination, childcare, long term care, and restoring rights to previously incarcerated people. These policies still have to go through several more hoops to become state law, but in the […] Read more »
EOI Updates Hiring based on previous salary perpetuates inequality February 7, 2019 / October 26, 2026 by Marilyn Watkins Last year, Washington’s Legislature took an important step in closing the gender and racial wage gaps by updating our state’s equal pay law for the first time since World War II. But more is needed to end the legacy of centuries of discrimination. This year, legislators are considering another step that will bring us closer […] Read more »
