| Description | Volume_Issue | Year | Month | PDF |
| Here we consider a Washington court case involving the propriety of retroactive pay increases, and their implications under the Washington Constitution; the administrative exemption to the FLSA overtime laws; we then discuss on-call pay under FLSA. | 04-04 | 2000 | 4 | v04n04apr2000.pdf |
| Today we address a myriad of issues with the Public Records Act, including giving the “fullest assistance” possible to records requestors, requiring that requests be made in writing, penalties, and records indexing; we also consider whether a discussion between two members of a governing body, when this does not constitute a majority of that body, is a “meeting” under the OPMA; there is also some legislation of interest addressing the finding in the Hangartner case that an agency cannot reject records requests on the grounds that a request is overbroad; we then briefly discuss the requirement that your agency hire a claims agent under RCW 4.96 to process claims. | 05-09 | 2005 | 9 | v05n09sep2005.pdf |
| Today we discuss issues that arise between agencies that enter into an interlocal agreement under RCW 39.34 and how that may create a problem with "separating accounts" in the eyes of the State Auditor; we also address the doctrine of "bystander negligence", which essentially permits a bystander
who witnesses a traumatic event to have a cause of action against a negligent party who causes that
event. | 07-01 | 2007 | 1 | v07n01jan2007.pdf |
| We are in the process of updating our newsletter index. In the meantime, please enjoy this issue, published in 2008, about state auditor guidance on volunteers, problems that may arise when compensatory time is requested, and whether training time is compensable under the FLSA. | 08-04 | 2008 | 4 | v08n04apr2008.pdf |
| This article, published in 2008, emphasizes the importance of counting words in your ballot titles during election season. | 08-05 | 2008 | 5 | v08n05may2008.pdf |
| This is a BIG ONE: We are talking about the ten main reasons why fire districts may have audit findings entered against them, and the implications of volunteering at athletic events. | 09-06 | 2009 | 6 | v09n06jun2009.pdf |
| In today's Firehouse Lawyer we focus on when a donation to a nonprofit corporation may be deemed an unconstitutional gift of public funds; we also report on a Washington case which reminds us that fire departments may be sued when one of their paramedics or EMT's fails to report suspected abuse of a child or vulnerable adult. | 14-05 | 2016 | 5 | May2016FINAL.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 |
| At times, state agencies get it wrong, and today we discuss that, with respect to the stripping of pensions from elected officials not working in "eligible positions" under DRS regulations; we also discuss RCW 71.05, one of the involuntary detention laws; a sweeping case involving the mandatory reporting duty in cases of child abuse and neglect; the employee's responsibility under the vertical safety standards; and finally, we outline some of the most common issues the State Auditor keeps running into, with respect to fire districts and RFAs. | 15-03 | 2017 | 3 | March2017FINAL.pdf |