Tahoma Law PLLC

We have many years of experience successfully trying cases in state and federal court and before the  agencies such as the EEOC, the Dept. Of Labor, the Dept. of Labor & Industries,  and the Washington Human Rights Commission.

In addition to our litigation experience,  we have helped countless employers take proactive steps to reduce the risk of litigation and to comply with the increasingly complex maze of labor and employment laws.

Working smart is not enough. We want to be better than our competition and, when you are sued, better than your opponent. To do that, we have to work harder than they do.

Here are some of many laws we have worked with

Washington
Law Against Discrimination
Minimum Wage Act
Prevailing Wage Act
Family Leave Act
Family Care Act
Pregnancy Disability Regulations
Domestic Violence Leave Act
Paid Sick Leave Law
Industrial Insurance Act
Industrial Safety and Health Act
Unemployment Act
Trade Secrets Act

Federal
Family and Medical Leave Act
Americans with Disabilities Act
Age Discrimination in Employment Act
Rehabilitation Act
Davis-Bacon Act
National Labor Relations Act
Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Act
Fair Labor Standards Act
Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act
Worker Adjustment Retraining and Notification Act
Employee Polygraph Protection Act
Employee Retirement Income Security Act
Equal Pay Act
Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act
Defend Trade Secrets Act

Local
Seattle’s Paid Safe and Sick Time Ordinance
Tacoma’s Paid Sick Leave Ordinance

Here are some examples of the non-statutory claims we have defended:

Wrongful discharge in violation of public policy
Negligent hiring, retention, or supervision
Intentional infliction of emotional distress or outrage
Breach of employment contract
Breach of an employee handbook
Breach of confidentiality, non-competition, and non-solicitation agreements
Defamation, including libel or slander

We also work hard to help employer comply with the law and address day-to-day employment issues such as:

Drafting executive and other employment contracts
Preparing effective policies and employee handbooks
Addressing workplace violence issues
Addressing disability and religious accommodation issues
Adopting union-avoidance strategies
Conducting workplace investigations
Complying with leave laws while minimizing absenteeism
Training management and staff on harassment
Preventing departing employees from stealing trade secrets

You can find lots of lawyers who will tell you a path to take with your employment matter. But we think you want someone with enough experience to guide you to the best path.

Paul Nordsletten is the founder of Tahoma Law PLLC and the attorney responsible for handling your matter. He has been guiding employers on employment matters since 1991. He has been recognized as one of Seattle top employment lawyers and has received the highest available rating from his peers.

Here is a summary of Mr. Nordsletten’s background:

EDUCATION

Seattle University Law School (1991)
Associate Editor, Law Review
Honors – Dean’s List; Graduated cum laude
Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Judicial Extern, Hon. Eugene A. Wright

B.A. in Psychology, University of Washington (1976)

ADMISSIONS

Washington State Bar Association
United States District Court for the Western District of Washington
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Washington
Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals

REPRESENTATIVE PRESENTATIONS

Dealing with independent contractors in the employment context
Privacy Issues in the Workplace
Handling Disability and other Discrimination Claims
Handling Investigations and Responding to Charges of Discrimination and Retaliation
Background Checks in the Google Era
EEOC compliance in Washington
Conducting internal Investigations
Performance evaluations of employees
Employee discharge and documentation
Avoiding retaliation claims with employees on FMLA Leave
Discharge and post-discharge Issues
How to avoid retaliation Lawsuits
Docking without destroying exempt status
Avoiding retaliation claims under the FLSA
Effectively dealing with problem employees
How to terminate employees
Strategies for effective employee recordkeeping
Document issues after a lawsuit Is filed
Handling wage and our issues
Sexual and other harassment hassles
How to administer the FMLA
Ten Steps Employers Can Take to Avoid Litigation
Mastering the challenges of the FMLA and ADA Overlap
Administering the FMLA for proper regulatory compliance
Intentional and negligent misrepresentation in the employment context

CURRENT AND FORMER PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES

Kent Chamber of Commerce
South King County Bar Association Officer
Comprehensive Life Resources Board of Directors
WSBA Solo & Small Practice Section Executive Committee
Compass Housing Alliance Board of Directors
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center Institutional Review Board