| Description | Volume_Issue | Year | Month | PDF |
| As far as issues with volunteers under FLSA, this may be the most important issue to date, in which we discuss various issues, including, but not limited to, the definitions of “employee” and “nominal fees”, and the importance of those words in calculating whether an individual is a volunteer; liquidated damages; Department of Labor Opinions; and recent reform activity; and then, aside from FLSA we talk about the importance of property tax resolutions. | 01-06 | 1997 | 9 | v01n06sep1997.pdf |
| This may be the most important newsletter issue for fire-district financing, as we perform a comprehensive analysis of the regular property-tax levy laws for fire districts, and related provisions under Washington law. | 01-08 | 1997 | 12 | v01n08dec1997.pdf |
| The issue today is the defects inherent in Initiative 695, which would have various effects on current property tax laws; whether a delay in paying overtime can subject the employer to damages under FLSA, even though FLSA itself does not specifically state when overtime compensation must be paid; and finally, we discuss establishing the work period under FLSA. | 03-08 | 1999 | 8 | v03n08aug1999.pdf |
| Today we undertake a comprehensive analysis of the defenses the employer may bring in an arbitration; we also consider a Washington court case declaring Initiative 695 invalid, a law that would have substantially modified the “lid lift” laws; a federal court case involving the compensatory time provisions of FLSA; and another federal court case addressing the issue of whether direct evidence of discriminatory intent is required to avoid judgment as a matter of law for the employer. | 04-03 | 2000 | 3 | v04n03mar2000.pdf |
| This article addresses recent legislation pertaining to "substantially career" fire departments; various administrative code provisions related to job classifications as they affect L&I rates for employers; I-747 being stayed by our Supreme Court; and some age discrimination issues. | 06-09 | 2006 | 9 | v06n09sep2006.pdf |
| Today we discuss holding annual public hearings on the budget, and the resolutions which should result from those hearings; free speech rights of public employees under the First Amendment; videotaping in the workplace and the Fourth Amendment problems that may cause; the liabilities that may come with running youth and cadet programs; and conditional offers of employment under the ADA. | 06-12 | 2006 | 12 | v06n12dec2006.pdf |
| The Firehouse Lawyer pays attention to property-tax issues. Today we talk about how the Washington Supreme Court struck down Initiative 747, which, if upheld, would mean that
the old 6% annual limit on revenue growth would be back in effect. | 06-6E | 2006 | 6 | v06n6Ejun2006.pdf |
| Today the Firehouse Lawyer addresses opinions from Washington courts about whether fire departments must pay for the maintenance and use of fire hydrants; we also further inquire into the multi-year "lid lift" laws. | 07-03 | 2007 | 3 | v07n03mar2007.pdf |
| This article addresses social security issues, and legislative changes in the multi-year "lid lift" and fire-commissioner compensation laws. | 07-05 | 2007 | 5 | v07n05may2007.pdf |
| This issues addresses a property tax law passed by our state legislature on the boundaries of taxing districts; provisions of a random law: the Federal Flag Code; and the importance of comparing the wages and other benefits of comparable jurisdictions during interest arbitration. | 07-06 | 2007 | 6 | v07n06jun2007.pdf |
| This article talks about some recent conferences, one of which addressed the Washington State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA), and a description of a Washington Supreme Court case striking down Initiative 747, a.k.a. the 1% property tax revenue growth limitation. | 07-11 | 2007 | 11 | v07n11nov2007.pdf |
| Today we consider the implications of deflation to the collection of property taxes, and various legislative changes in 2009. | 09-05 | 2009 | 5 | v09n05may2009.pdf |
| Multiple items are covered this month: charging non-residents of a fire district for EMS; an upgrade in fire-commissioner compensation; the U.S. Supreme Court's invalidation of the Defense of Marriage Act, and issues with the excess-levy laws. | 11-02 | 2013 | 9 | v11n02sep2013.pdf |
| This issue discusses the use of personal electronic devices, and what impacts that may have under the Public Records Act. This issue also addresses contracts with Indian Tribes, pro-rationing and "ultra vires" actions of joint boards. | 12-03 | 2014 | 9 | v12n03sep2014.pdf |
| As 2016 draws to a close, let us consider our responsibilities to the public we serve, and our respect for individual human rights: Today we discuss an important Washington court case related to the use of taxpayer dollars, the right of a person not to associate with a union based on religious beliefs, and an important First Amendment case out of federal court. | 14-12 | 2016 | 12 | December2016FINAL.pdf |
| This article discusses proposed legislation that may result in the pro-rationing of junior taxing districts' levies across Washington State; an unpublished court opinion discussing whether an email exchange violated the Open Public Meetings Act; the appointment of auditing officers to pay certain claims prior to Board approval; the burdens of proof in "occupational disease" cases for firefighters seeking L&I benefits; finally, we include our monthly Safety Bill column, which enumerates the importance of safety checklists. | 15-02 | 2017 | 2 | February2017FINAL.pdf |
| Today we discuss the concept of a "jar of muddy water" when negotiation contracts; we also discuss very important legislative changes for 2017; we then consider an alternative revenue source we call the 450 Tax, which could generate substantial revenue for fire departments; finally, we have our monthly Safety Bill. | 15-04 | 2017 | 4 | April2017FINAL.pdf |
| Celebrate your independence by reading our latest issue, where we consider a new case involving five-day letters under the Public Records Act; the retainage requirements for public works contracts; and where we inform you about our new office space at South King Fire and Rescue! | 15-06 | 2017 | 6 | June2017FINAL.pdf |
| Today we consider special issues pertaining to medical records requests from attorneys and law enforcement; an important case relating to the necessary ballot-title language for levy lid lifts; an unemployment benefits case; and of course, our Safety Bill discusses body armor. | 15-09 | 2017 | 9 | September2017FINAL.pdf |
| Today we discuss why fire departments should seek payments in lieu of taxes via contractual negotiation; a very important case involving gender discrimination and the wrongful discharge of an allegedly "at will" employee; a case involving privacy protections for homeless people; and finally, we consider the proper fitting of self-contained breathing apparatus under the Washington Administrative Code. | 15-10 | 2017 | 10 | October2017FINAL5.pdf |
| Today we discuss an important Washington Supreme Court case involving the liability of a city for what may have been the intentionally wrongful conduct of a police officer; we also outline annexation issues involving cities, forestland and taxation issues, and some minor linguistic changes to WAC 296-305, the safety standards for firefighters. | 17-06 | 2019 | 6 | June2019FINAL.pdf |
| This Holiday issue discusses a LEOFF-2 re-employment case, pro-rationing of ad valorem property taxes, and an L&I firefighter "occupational disease" case. | 18-11 | 2020 | 11 | November2020FINAL.pdf |
| This issue discusses what "tax increment financing" is and how it may impact your agency. We also discuss our upcoming Municipal Roundtable on financing mechanisms, and the small works and vendor-list rules. | 20-11 | 2022 | 11 | November2022FINAL.pdf |
| Today the newsletter addresses a case involving the community caretaking exception to the warrant requirements; we also discuss a tax-increment financing issue, a new law on the use of cannabis drug-test results in hiring, and some bid-law issues with respect to used equipment and bid quantities. | 21-06 | 2023 | 6 | June2023FINAL.pdf |
| This issue discusses the interests of Native American Tribes vis-a-vis the State/local governments, as measured by precedent of the US Supreme Court. We also discuss tax increment financing. | 21-09 | 2023 | 9 | September2023FINAL.pdf |
| In this article we discuss the creation of emergency medical service (EMS) districts, and we also consider an argument that the TIF Laws (RCW 39.114) violate RCW 43.09.210. | 21-10 | 2023 | 10 | October2023FINAL.pdf |
| This issue discusses competing interpretations as to whether "new construction" is not "increment value" that may be diverted to a sponsoring jurisdiction that has created a tax increment area under RCW 39.114.020. | 21-11E | 2023 | 11 | NovemberDecember2023FINAL.pdf |