Overview

Deidra A. Nguyen serves as strategic partner for employers of all types and sizes in their efforts to maintain employment law compliance, attract and retain talent through competitive and best-in-class policies and paid leave offerings, and motivate and reward performance through creative incentive compensation programs, including commissions and bonuses.

She helps clients stay current and compliant with employment law developments by auditing human resources practices, developing compliance strategies, providing workplace training to management and human resources staff, and drafting employee handbooks, policies, and employment agreements.

As a core member of Littler’s Leaves of Absence and Disability Accommodation practice group, Deidra provides employers with national and multistate advice on a range of leave and disability issues, including the design, implementation, and administration of paid sick and safe time, paid family and medical leave, reasonable accommodation, paid parental leave, vacation and paid time off, and other leave and accommodation programs.

As a member of the firm’s Audit Services Group, Deidra audits federal, state and local compliance issues throughout the life cycle of employment, from recruitment to termination.

Deidra is also a founding member of the firm’s Secure and Predictive Scheduling task force, helping retail, restaurant, and other employers navigate the nuances of fair scheduling laws across the west coast.

Professional & Community Affiliations

Member, Board of Directors

South King County Chapter

Society for Human Resource Management

Member, Board of Directors

Vietnamese-American Bar Association of Washington

Member, Federal Bar Association

Western District of Washington

Recognition

Named, Rising Star

Super Lawyers

2015-2020

Recipient, Faculty Scholar Award

Seattle University School of Law

Recipient, Law Presidential Scholarship

2003-2005

Dean’s List

Seattle University School of Law

2003-2006

Dean’s List, University of Washington

2000-2003

Recipient, CALI Awards

Constitutional Law, Evidence, Legal Writing II

Recipient, Washington Promise Scholarship

News, Analysis & Press

Election day is coming: Employers need to be ready

Human Resource Executive

October 18, 2022

State Laws Guarantee Time Off to Vote

SHRM Online

October 10, 2022

Unused Vacation Days: What You Should Know

The Wall Street Journal

October 21, 2020

What Happens to My Unused Vacation Days?

The Wall Street Journal

October 18, 2020

CEO Advisor: Human Resources

Seattle Business

December 22, 2014

Partisanship Redefined: Why Blanket Primaries are Constitutional

29 Seattle U. L. Rev. 495

2006

Books & Book Chapters

  • Littler on Reductions in Force: Information for the Downsizing Employer, Littler National Employer Library, 2016
  • Survey of State Laws Regarding Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation Discrimination in the Workplace, Chapter 20, Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation in the Workplace: A Practical Guide, Bloomberg BNA, chapter contributor, 2014

Speaking Engagements

“Leaving on a Jet Plane”: What Employers Need to Know to Navigate Leaves of Absence Under Federal, State, and Local Laws in the Evergreen State

SHRM South Puget Sound Chapter

October 17, 2024

Paid Family Feud: Navigating Dueling State – and Employer-Sponsored Leave and Wage-Replacement Programs

2022 California Virtual Regional Employer Conference

November 2, 2022

Paid Family Feud: Navigating Dueling State- and Employer-Sponsored Leave and Wage-Replacement Programs

Littler Virtual California Regional Employer Conference

November 2, 2022

Washington Update: New Employment Law Legislation for 2021-2022

May 17, 2022

Paid Family Feud: Navigating Dueling State- and Employer-Sponsored Leave and Wage-Replacement Programs

Littler Executive Employer Conference

May 5, 2022

Paid Family and Medical Leave: The New Frontier

Business Management Daily Webinar

December 10, 2021

Perplexed to Oblivion: The Conundrum of Using PTO and Unlimited Time Off Policies for Paid Sick Leave Compliance

Littler Webinar

December 9, 2021

Littler’s Second Annual Employee Handbook Update

November 12, 2021

Paid Family and Medical Leave – The New Leave Frontier

Littler Webinar

October 20, 2021

An In-depth Look at Paid Family and Medical Leave Programs

July 21, 2021

Washington Paid Family and Medical Leave 201: Lessons Learned and Frequently Asked Questions

Seattle, WA

March 30, 2021

New Year, New Handbook

January 25, 2021

COVID-19 in the Workplace: Recent Developments and Compliance Challenges - Session Ten

January 8, 2021

The Rite of Fall: Preparing Policy Handbooks for the Coming Year

October 19, 2020

Littler’s First Annual Employee Handbook Update

October 14, 2020

COVID-19 in the Workplace: Recent Developments and Compliance Challenges

October 2, 2020

Returning to the Workplace

Webinar, National Association of Church Personnel Administrators

May 28, 2020

Southern California Legal Update Series - San Diego

January 14, 2020

Employee Handbooks: Keeping Up with the "Do's and Don'ts" to Achieving Compliance

September 11, 2019

Washington Paid Family and Medical Leave Update

September 10, 2019

Employee Handbooks: Keeping Up with the "Do's and Don'ts" to Achieving Compliance

Webinar

July 18, 2019

Southern California Legal Update Series - San Diego

San Diego, CA

January 8, 2019

The Top Employment Law Issues Impacting Startups & Nuts and Bolts of Hiring / Firing

San Francisco

October 2, 2018

17th Annual All Day Labor Law Seminar

American Payroll Association, San Diego Chapter

July 28, 2018

#NotYouToo: Conducting Workplace Investigations in the Aftermath of #MeToo

West Sound Human Resource Management Association Spring Workshop

May 9, 2018

Handbooks

Littler Executive Employer, Phoenix, AZ

May 4, 2018

Top 10 HR Strategies to Mitigate Risk & Ensure Compliance

2018 Washington State Employment Law & HR Conference - Washington State SHRM

April 20, 2018

Southern California Legal Update - San Diego

San Diego, CA

December 7, 2017

Is That in Writing? Making the Most of Your 2018 Employee Handbook

Xpert HR

October 25, 2017

ASA Washington Staffing Symposium

Seattle, WA

September 21, 2017

New Parental Leave Laws in California

Lorman Webinar

April 5, 2017

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly: A Legal Update

2017 Washington State Employment Law & HR Conference - Washington State SHRM

March 31, 2017

Washington State Employment Law Update

American Staffing Association, Washington Council

November 10, 2016

Politics in the Workplace: Election and Employment Law Collide

Annual Lunch and Learn - Hot Topics for HR Professionals

October 20, 2016

All Day Labor Law Seminar

American Payroll Association, San Diego Chapter

July 16, 2016

Employment Law Update with a Side of BYOD

Seattle SHRM, Seattle, WA

May 19, 2016

FLSA Update and Employee Classification Guidelines

Paychex Webinar

April 18, 2016

Risk Management for Employee Separations

2016 Washington State Employment Law & HR Conference - Washington State Human Resources Council, Bellevue, WA

March 18, 2016

The Essential Employee Handbook

2016 Symposium - Lake Washington Human Resource Association, Bellevue, WA

February 9, 2016

2015 in Review: A Legal Update

South King County Human Resources Association

January 21, 2016

Washington Employment Law Update

Staffing Owners and Senior Managers Conference - Staffing Association of Washington

November 19, 2015

Conducting Lawful Investigations

West Sound Human Resource Management Association Fall Conference

November 4, 2015

Background on Background Checks

Compliance Insights with Alliance 2020

October 29, 2015

HR Legal Yearbook: New Faces and Old Friends

Seattle SHRM, Seattle, WA

May 21, 2015

Conducting Lawful Investigations

2015 Washington State Employment Law & HR Conference - Washington State Human Resources Council

March 27, 2015

Responding to Legal Sea Changes with Agility

2015 Symposium - Lake Washington Human Resource Association, Bellevue, WA

February 10, 2015

2014 in Review: A Legal Update

South King County Human Resources Association

January 15, 2015

HR’$ New Business Partner – The Bottom Line

West Sound Human Resource Management Association

January 14, 2015

Washington Employment Law Update

Staffing Owners and Senior Managers Conference - Staffing Association of Washington

October 29, 2014

HR in Business

South King County Human Resources Association

September 18, 2014

Wait, what just happened!? (Legislative, Judicial, and Regulatory Innovations in Employment Law)

2014 Symposium - Lake Washington Human Resource Association, Bellevue, WA

February 11, 2014

Year In Review

Seattle, WA

January 22, 2014

Washington Employment Law Update

South King County Human Resources Association (SKCHRA), Kent, WA

January 16, 2014

Washington Employment Law Update

Staffing Owners and Senior Managers Conference - Staffing Association of Washington, Seattle, WA

November 7, 2013

Conducting Lawful Investigations Workshop

Seattle, WA

September 12, 2013

Leave Me Alone: Coordinating Leaves of Absence Under Federal, State, and Local Leave Laws

15th Annual Employment Law & Legislative Conference - Washington State SHRM Council, Bellevue, WA

March 12, 2013

HR’$ New Business Partner

2013 Symposium - Lake Washington Human Resource Association, Bellevue, WA

February 13, 2013

2012 in Review: A Legal Update

South King County Human Resources Association (SKCHRA), Kent, WA

January 17, 2013

Top 10 Wage and Hour Compliance Tips

August 24, 2012

Leave Me Alone: Tips and Tricks for Complying with Federal, State, and Local Leave Laws

Chapter Meeting - Olympia SHRM, Olympia, WA

July 10, 2012

Leave Me Alone: Tips and Tricks for Complying with Federal, State, and Local Leave Laws

May 2, 2012

The Essential Employee Handbook

April 4, 2012

Nuts and Bolts of Hiring and Firing

March 7, 2012

Leave Me Alone: Tips and Tricks for Complying with Federal, State, and Local Leave Laws

February 16, 2012

Employment Law Update

Employment Law Luncheon

2009 and 2011

The Essential Employee Handbook

Tacoma Chapter - Painting and Decorating Contractors of America

March 2011

The Top 5 Reasons to Have an Employee Handbook

Tacoma Executives Association

July 2010

At the Intersection of Antitrust and Intellectual Property Law: Looking Both Ways to Avoid a Collision

Law Review Symposium - Seattle University School of Law

April 7, 2006

Where’s my Vote: Lessons Learned from Washington State’s Gubernatorial Election

Law Review Symposium - Seattle University School of Law

April 16, 2005

Education

  • J.D., Seattle University School of Law, 2006summa cum laude
  • B.A., University of Washington, 2003magna cum laude

Bar Admission

California
Washington

Courts

  • U.S. Court of Appeals, 9th Circuit
  • US District Court: Western District of Washington
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Washington
  • U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Western District of Washington