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November 8, 2016, general election results bring more of the same.
Among several ballot initiatives, voters approved an increase in the statewide minimum wage to $13.50 by 2020 with 60 percent of the vote (I-1433), but also defeated a proposed carbon tax by 41% to 59% (I-732).
Governor Jay Inslee was re-elected with 56% of the vote. Democratic state Senator Cyrus Habib (D-Bellevue) also won with 56% of the vote. Attorney General Bob Ferguson was re-elected handily.
On September 29, the federal government issued the following regulations of interest to ABC stakeholders:
· the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued the final rule on paid sick leave
· the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued the revised Employer Information Report or EEO-1
DOL’s Final Rule on Paid Sick Leave
The final rule will require certain federal contractors to offer employees up to seven days (56 hours) of paid sick leave annually, including paid leave for family care. The paid sick leave required by the final rule is in addition to a contractor’s obligations under the Service Contract Act (SCA) and Davis-Bacon Act (DBA). Therefore, a contractor may not receive credit toward its prevailing wage or fringe benefit obligation under the SCA and DBA for paid sick leave provided in satisfaction of the requirements of the final rule.