***UPDATE: Mayor Bruce Harrell signed the amendments into law on February 23, 2023.***

Seattle has become the first U.S. city to approve legislation amending city ordinances to prohibit discrimination on the basis of “caste,” including in the context of employment.  The proposals now go before the mayor for signature.

The legislative push was largely driven

Seattle, known for its employee-friendly ordinances, has passed a law regulating how large retailers, full-service restaurants, fast food restaurants, and coffee shops schedule and pay their hourly, non-exempt workers.  Seattle is the second city, after San Francisco, to provide workers with scheduling protections.  The new ordinance will add a new chapter 14.22 to the Seattle

Continuing a growing national trend, Minnesota, West Virginia, Maryland, Hawaii, Vermont, Michigan, Delaware, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Guam, and the city of Seattle recentlyenacted laws raising the minimum wage in their respective jurisdictions. This client alert highlights key provisions of these new laws and examines the implications for covered employers.

Minnesota

Minnesota’s minimum wage will gradually