Helen M. McFarland

Helen M. McFarland

Adjunct Professor

Email Helen

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

  • Employment
  • Employment Litigation

EDUCATION

  • B.A., Vassar College
  • J.D., Lewis & Clark Law School

Biography

Helen M. McFarland represents employers in Washington, Oregon, and California in all types of employment claims including the defense of wrongful termination, discrimination, retaliation, harassment, unfair competition, independent contractor misclassification, and wage and hour claims. She has almost twenty years of experience litigating in state and federal courts, in arbitration, and before administrative agencies including the Washington Department of Labor and Industries, California Labor Commissioner, the Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board, the Department of Fair Employment and Housing, and the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Publications

  • Co-Author, "Governor Inslee Signs 'Silenced No More Act' Prohibiting Nondisclosure and Nondisparagement Provisions In All Employment Agreements In Washington," Legal Update, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (March 25, 2022)
  • Co-Author, "City of Seattle's 'Independent Contractor Protections Ordinance' Will Go Into Effect September 2022," Legal Update, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (January 12, 2022)
  • Co-Author, "Washington State Issues New Administrative Policy Providing Guidance on Employment Relationships under the Minimum Wage Act," Legal Update, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (July 26, 2021)
  • Co-Author, "Washington's Increased Minimum Wage Will Bump Washington's Salary Threshold for Exempt Employees Above Federal Requirements on January 1, 2021," Legal Update, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (November 10, 2020)
  • Co-Author, "Mandatory Arbitration Provision Struck Down by the Washington Supreme Court," Legal Update, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (September 8, 2020)
  • Co-Author, "First Employer Cited For Violating Washington's Safe Start Order," Workplace Safety and Environmental Law Alert Blog, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (July 8, 2020)
  • Co-Author, "WA DOSH Issues Emergency COVID-19 Safety Rule Mandating Compliance with Emergency Proclamation and Safe Start Reopening Guidance," Workplace Safety and Environmental Law Alert Blog, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (May 28, 2020)
  • Co-Author, "Washington State Mandates Protections for High-Risk Employees," SHRM (April 23, 2020)
  • Co-Author, "Washington State Mandates Protections for 'High-Risk' Employees Including Continuation of Employer-Related Health Insurance Benefits," Legal Update, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (April 14, 2020)
  • Co-Author, "Washington Governor Issues Two-Week 'Stay Home' Order," Legal Update, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (March 25, 2020)
  • California is Cleaning Up (September 18, 2018)
  • Puget Sound Chapter Meet Up Employment Law Update (January 9, 2018)
  • Are you Ready for Washington's Paid Sick and Safe Leave Law? (December 28, 2017)
  • California Bans Salary History Inquiries (October 2017)
  • Flexible Work Arrangements in California; SHRM Publication
  • San Francisco Ordinance Requires Six Weeks of Fully Paid parental Leave (April 2016)
  • 2013 in Review and A Look Ahead to 2014, Labor and Employment Law Update (December 2013)
  • 2011 in Review and 2012 in Preview, Labor and Employment Update (January 2012)
  • Toxic Clients: How to Identify and Manage Difficult Client Relationships, ABA Newsletter: Professionals' Officers' and Directors' Liability Committee (Summer 2009)
  • Payment and Performance Bonds, Oregon Construction Law CLE Chapter 10 (Fall 2003)
  • "Chopping Down the Birds: Loggers and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act," 31 Envtl.L.Rev 1 - Selected on merit by the previous years' board (Winter 2001)