Olympia Business Watch Quotes Tim O'Connell on Proposed Employer Rule Changes

Partner Tim O'Connell's testimony before the House Labor and Workforce Development Committee was quoted by Olympia Business Watch in an article titled "Proposed rules would hit every employer with risks, costs and criminal penalties." The article discusses House Bills 2332, 2333 and 2334, which use the threat of criminal penalties to crack down on businesses.

O'Connell discussed the ramifications of the bills on employers. "These bills purport to be aimed at scofflaws, but in fact they [affect] all employers in the state, and by increasing the claims to which employers are subjected, by tilting the playing field as to the kinds of defenses that can be raised, these bills increase the costs for all Washington employers because they make even meritless cases that much more difficult to fight," he said. He also noted that House Bill 2332 would increase penalties and decrease employers' ability to respond, thus creating new uncertainties under Washington law.

"Proposed rules would hit every employer with risks, costs and criminal penalties," published by Olympia Business Watch on January 21, 2014.