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Podcast

Q&A: Melinda Gates opens up about tech industry, equality and 3 women who changed her life

by Monica Nickelsburg & Todd Bishop on May 14, 2019May 18, 2019 at 7:52 amComment

Melinda Gates once famously set a rule in her kitchen. Nobody leaves until mom does. It’s a story she tells often during interviews and it comes up in her new… Read More

Tech leaders sound off on Washington state’s new non-compete restrictions

by Monica Nickelsburg on April 22, 2019April 22, 2019 at 1:36 pm 6 Comments

Washington state’s legislature passed a bill imposing new restrictions on non-compete agreements late last week, which employers use to restrict workers with sensitive business information from taking jobs with similar… Read More

Washington state legislators pass law restricting non-compete agreements

by Monica Nickelsburg on April 19, 2019May 8, 2019 at 4:16 pm1 Comment

Update May 8: Gov. Inslee signed the non-compete bill into law, raising the bar employers will need to meet to enforce the controversial covenants. A bill imposing new restrictions on non-compete… Read More

US immigration policy has employers eyeing Canada for job growth

by Monica Nickelsburg on March 20, 2019March 20, 2019 at 9:02 am1 Comment

As the United States cracks down on employment-based immigration programs, Canada has been aggressively marketing itself as a friendly alternative for tech companies seeking international talent in the nation’s quest… Read More

Trump administration starts cracking down on H-1B visa approvals and work permits for spouses

by Monica Nickelsburg on February 25, 2019February 25, 2019 at 12:05 pm 6 Comments

It’s harder to get an H-1B visa than it used to be — and the spouses of those who do get approvals could soon lose permission to work in the… Read More

Seattle scrutinizes Amazon, gig economy companies for ‘misclassifying’ employees as independent contractors

by Monica Nickelsburg on February 20, 2019February 20, 2019 at 1:24 pmComment

Seattle lawmakers are taking a closer look at companies that hire big teams of independent contractors. The Seattle City Council passed a resolution Tuesday asking the city’s labor office to investigate… Read More

Amazon sued by family of deceased employee claiming wrongful death and discrimination

by Monica Nickelsburg on November 29, 2018November 29, 2018 at 3:15 pmComment

Relatives of a deceased Amazon employee are suing the Seattle company, claiming its negligence led to his wrongful death. The family of Ronald Ashley filed a lawsuit in New York… Read More

Video

Washington state to roll out broad new paid leave policy: What workers and employers should know

by Monica Nickelsburg on November 29, 2018November 30, 2018 at 8:12 am 6 Comments

On Jan. 1, Washington state will begin implementing one of the most generous paid family and medical leave programs in the nation, allowing employees to take up to 16 weeks… Read More

Whole Foods worker group urges employees to unionize to fight changes under Amazon

by Monica Nickelsburg on September 6, 2018September 7, 2018 at 10:32 am1 Comment

Some workers at Whole Foods Market are making the case to unionize, expressing frustration over changes that Amazon has made since acquiring the grocery chain. Whole Foods employees identifying themselves… Read More

Jeff Bezos hints at how Amazon’s two HQs could work together across time zones

by Monica Nickelsburg on September 4, 2018September 4, 2018 at 10:17 am1 Comment

It has been almost a year since Amazon surprised the world with plans for a second North American headquarters, with no word yet about where it will end up. But… Read More

There’s a big difference between how men and women see employer salary policies

by Monica Nickelsburg on August 14, 2018August 14, 2018 at 10:23 amComment

Given the breadth of data about unequal pay and other obstacles for women in tech, it should come as no surprise that many women believe their companies are not compensating… Read More

‘I wouldn’t have been homeless if I had benefits.’ Gig economy workers demand better protections

by Monica Nickelsburg on July 28, 2018July 28, 2018 at 8:11 am 7 Comments

Of the six workers who gathered to share their experiences in the gig economy at a Seattle event last week, two had experienced homelessness in the past few years. They agreed it… Read More

Without more women, tech is facing a serious problem. Here’s how men can be part of the solution

by Michael Schutzler on June 15, 2018June 14, 2018 at 4:08 pm 4 Comments

As tactile social beings, we know instinctively there is safety in numbers. By adulthood, this concept has been reinforced by parenting and life experience. Finding our tribe, our herd, our… Read More

Commentary: Wake up, white men, it’s time to stop talking and start acting on diversity

by Michael Schutzler on April 27, 2018April 27, 2018 at 7:40 am 8 Comments

[Editor’s note: This guest commentary comes from Michael Schutzler, CEO of the Washington Technology Industry Association] In the technology industry, we pride ourselves on being data-driven, rapidly making sound business… Read More

Washington state passes gender pay equity bill with support from tech industry … for the most part

by Monica Nickelsburg on March 7, 2018March 7, 2018 at 5:55 pm 4 Comments

Seizing on a historic moment for women challenging discrimination in the workplace, Washington state’s legislature passed the Equal Pay Opportunity Act on Wednesday. The bill passed both chambers on the eve… Read More

Effort to kill non-competes in Washington state fails again, leaving controversial contracts intact

by Monica Nickelsburg on February 16, 2018February 18, 2018 at 8:49 am1 Comment

Washington lawmakers’ efforts to crack down on non-compete agreements died in the state legislature this week. Two bills that would have made it nearly impossible to enforce the controversial contracts,… Read More

Employment lawyers puzzled over IBM’s non-compete suit against Microsoft’s new diversity chief

by Monica Nickelsburg on February 15, 2018February 15, 2018 at 2:58 pm 4 Comments

IBM’s decision to sue a longtime human resources executive for taking a new job at Microsoft is raising questions among lawyers who specialize in employment agreements and non-compete clauses. Earlier… Read More

Uber CEO, Seattle investor and labor leader call for portable benefits in Washington state

by Monica Nickelsburg on January 23, 2018January 23, 2018 at 1:41 pm 2 Comments

Uber has long maintained that its drivers are independent contractors, not employees, and therefore not eligible for the benefits employees receive. Like many sharing economy companies, Uber says it simply… Read More

Most women in Seattle tech industry experience harassment but few report it, new study finds

by Monica Nickelsburg on January 19, 2018January 22, 2018 at 8:03 am 8 Comments

Some were pushed toward non-technical careers despite their technical skills. Others reported unwanted touching or kissing. Many saw less qualified men promoted over them. One witnessed male coworkers rating female… Read More

Complaints from bike-share workers reflect new reality for labor force that powers sharing economy

by Monica Nickelsburg on January 11, 2018January 11, 2018 at 10:47 am 2 Comments

After four months working with Ofo, Sean Healy reached a breaking point. He started driving vans and trucks for the bike sharing company’s new Seattle operation. He was helping Ofo… Read More

Working Geek: 9 technology execs share their favorite apps and software tools

by Monica Nickelsburg on September 30, 2017September 30, 2017 at 7:36 amComment

Slack, Evernote, Microsoft Office, Google Suite. Those are a few of the most popular apps that the busy executives featured in our Working Geek series use to stay organized. With… Read More

Where these 10 tech managers get their best ideas

by Monica Nickelsburg on July 15, 2017July 15, 2017 at 3:14 pmComment

Inspiration can strike at unexpected times but in the working world, we don’t always have the luxury of waiting around for that million dollar idea. That’s why we’ve compiled a… Read More

Tech giants score high on Indeed list of the 50 best places to work: See if your company made the cut

by Monica Nickelsburg on July 6, 2017July 6, 2017 at 2:21 pm1 Comment

With so much competition for top technical talent, it’s no surprise that tech companies are well-represented on Indeed’s annual ranking of the top 50 places to work. In the tech… Read More

Microsoft starts offering 4 weeks paid leave for employees caring for sick family members

by Monica Nickelsburg on June 27, 2017June 27, 2017 at 8:24 amComment

Microsoft is rolling out a new paid family leave benefit to employees around the world. The Family Caregiver Leave policy allows employees to take up to four weeks of paid leave… Read More

New work visa guidelines make it harder for U.S. tech companies to hire engineers

by Monica Nickelsburg on April 3, 2017April 3, 2017 at 11:31 am 7 Comments

A new set of guidelines, issued by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Friday, requires computer programmers to provide additional evidence that they have specialized skills to qualify for an… Read More

Washington state and Seattle consider requiring companies to offer paid family and medical leave

by Monica Nickelsburg on March 23, 2017March 23, 2017 at 3:07 pm 6 Comments

The City of Seattle and Washington state are considering policies that would require businesses to offer paid family and medical leave — both of which would be funded through payroll fees.… Read More

Is Amazon or Microsoft a better place to work? Advice for an MBA student

by Monica Nickelsburg on October 24, 2016October 24, 2016 at 1:51 pm 2 Comments

Competition for tech talent in the Seattle area is fierce, and Amazon and Microsoft are the heavyweights in this fight. Many professionals find themselves torn between the two companies, asking… Read More

Report: Microsoft to challenge Slack with new Skype Teams service

by Monica Nickelsburg on September 6, 2016September 6, 2016 at 2:42 pmComment

Microsoft is building a workplace collaboration tool, called Skype Teams, according to a report from mspoweruser.com. The chat app would put Microsoft in direct competition with Slack, which has become… Read More

Working Geek: Moz CEO Sarah Bird strives to make Seattle more ‘economically inclusive’

by Monica Nickelsburg on May 19, 2016May 19, 2016 at 1:21 pm 4 Comments

When Moz CEO Sarah Bird isn’t leading a team of over 200 employees she dedicates her time to civic initiatives. She wants to make the Seattle tech scene a more diverse… Read More

Top 25 highest-paying U.S. workplaces: Guess which tech companies made the new list

by Monica Nickelsburg on April 20, 2016April 20, 2016 at 8:00 amComment

Technology and consulting companies dominate Glassdoor’s new annual ranking of the highest-paying workplaces in America. Twenty-four out of the 25 businesses on the list are from one of the two industries.… Read More