Bellingham is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Whatcom County in the U.S. state of Washington, and the twelfth largest city in the state. It is situated on Bellingham Bay, which is protected by Lummi Island, Portage Island, and the Lummi Peninsula, and opens onto the Strait of Georgia. It lies west of Mount Baker and Lake Whatcom (from which it gets its drinking water) and north of the Chuckanut Mountains and Skagit Valley. Whatcom Creek runs through the center of the city. The Census Bureau estimated that Bellingham's population was 78,905 in July 1, 2008. The boundaries of the city encompass the former towns of Fairhaven (now home to the southern ferry terminus of the Alaska Marine Highway System), Whatcom, Sehome, and Silver Beach. Nearly half of all residents of Whatcom County live within Bellingham.

What is employment law?

Employment law deals with the relationship between employees and their employer specifying the rights and restrictions applicable to the employee and employer in the workplace. Employment law differs from labor law, which primarily deals with the relationship between employers and labor organizations.

Employment law regulates such issues as employee discipline, benefits, hiring, firing, overtime and breaks, leave, payroll, health and safety in the workplace, non-compete agreements, retaliation, severance, unemployment compensation, pensions, whistleblowing, worker classification as independent contractor or employee, wage garnishment, work authorization for non-U.S. citizens, worker's compensation, and employee handbooks.

Answers to employment law issues in Washington

The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) establishes minimum standards for minimum wage and...

Under federal laws, it is illegal to discriminate against someone (applicant or employee) because of that person's...

The law forbids discrimination because of...

It is unlawful to harass a person (an applicant or employee) because of that person’s sex. Harassment can include "...

Harassment is a form of employment discrimination that may violate Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the...

The Equal Pay Act requires that men and women in the same workplace be given equal pay for equal work. The jobs need...

It is illegal to fire, demote, refuse to promote, harass, or otherwise “retaliate” against people (applicants or...

Employers covered under the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) must grant an eligible employee up to a total of 12 of...

As a general rule, the information obtained and requested through the pre-employment process should be limited to...

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) entitles eligible employees to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected...