Category: Compliance
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Behind on Paid Leave Premiums? Interest, Penalties, and a Grant You Could Lose
Washington’s Paid Family & Medical Leave (PFML) program is funded by a premium that nearly every Washington employer has to report and pay to the Employment Security Department (ESD) every quarter. It is easy to let a quarter slide—especially for a small business without a dedicated payroll department—but a past-due PFML balance is one of…
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Goodbye, Pet Rent: Everything You Need to Know About Seattle’s New Rental Junk Fee Ban
Finding an apartment in Seattle has long been an exercise in complex math. For years, prospective tenants have browsed rental listings and found a price that seemed to fit their budget, only to be hit with a slew of add-on fees at the lease signing. From monthly pet rent to package processing charges, these recurring…
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FinCEN Permanently Ends Beneficial Ownership Reporting Requirements for Millions of Small Business Owners
The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) is issuing a final rule that permanently removes the requirement for U.S. companies and U.S. persons to report beneficial ownership information to FinCEN under the Corporate Transparency Act. The final rule became effective on August 14, 2026. FinCEN today also announced that it will delete previously reported information…
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Legal Update: Washington Commercial Electronic Mail Act
Washington has amended its Commercial Electronic Mail Act (CEMA) for the first time since the statute was enacted in 1998. The changes—passed as Engrossed Substitute House Bill 2274 and now in effect—add a knowledge requirement for misleading subject-line claims and cut one category of statutory damages from $500 to $100. They apply to lawsuits filed…
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What Washington’s Montes Decision Means for False-Discount Pricing Claims
The Washington Supreme Court ruled that a false “sale” price alone does not constitute “business or property” injury under the state’s Consumer Protection Act (CPA) if the item is worth what the consumer paid. Key takeaway: The decision likely narrows some Washington false-discount cases, but it is not a green light for careless pricing. Businesses…