Dozens of unionized Hanford site workers suddenly ordered in mid-June to begin packing their offices as part of an office consolidation may not have to start putting boxes together just yet.

Workers injured on the job and collecting benefits through the state’s workers’ compensation system will be getting a bump in their payments. 

Washington is one of five states most dependent on H-2A workers in the country -- whose numbers have ballooned in the last decade to about 33,000. 

The shifts largely came from the agricultural sector, as nonfarm employment increased by several hundred positions between April and May. 

The Tri-Cities’ largest employer considers layoffs and furloughs in response to federal budget proposal.

Previously, penalties for violations were as low as $500, which is insignificant for large companies. Under the new law fines for unreasonable delays in benefits will be increased and employers can lose their self-insurance certification if they violate the law too many times.

Hybrid work claims to offer the best of both worlds – employees benefit from face-to-face collaboration in the office and can also focus on deep, individual work at home – but new research shows this arrangement also can lead to internal division unless closely coordinated.

Many professions, ranging from office and administrative support to construction workers, enjoy wages higher than the national average, usually by at least a dollar or two. 

Incyte Diagnostics will layoff 310 of its staff as it moves forward with a recent deal with national lab services provider Labcorp as it acquires specific assets of Incyte’s business, including Incyte's Richland lab. 

Workers filled thousands of jobs in the Tri-Cities between March and April as the region’s labor force engagement continues its seasonal climb.