UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C.  20549

FORM 8-K/A

(Amendment No. 1)

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the

Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of Earliest Event Reported):  August 9, 2013

First Financial Northwest, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Registrant's telephone number (including area code) (425) 255-4400

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions.

[  ]  Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

[  ]  Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

[  ]  Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17   CFR 240.14d-2(b))

[  ]  Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

 

On August 9, 2013, First Financial Northwest, Inc. (the "Company") filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission a Current Report on Form 8-K (the "Initial Report") for the purpose of reporting the separation from the Company and the Company's financial institution subsidiary, First Financial Northwest Bank (as the successor to First Savings Bank Northwest), of Ms. Kari A. Stenslie, former Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of the Company and the Bank, and Mr. Roger Elmore, former Vice President of the Company and Senior Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer of the Bank. In connection with the employees' separation the Company filed Separation Agreements and Releases as exhibits to that Initial Report.

The purpose of this Amendment No. 1 to the Initial Report is to provide a form of letter that was recently sent to Ms. Stenslie and Mr. Elmore in connection with their respective Separation Agreements and Releases and a copy of the letter is attached hereto as Exhibit 10.1 and incorporated herein by reference. The purpose of the letter is to advise the former employees, in the event there was ever a doubt, of their right to file a whistleblower complaint with the Securities and Exchange Commission or another appropriate administrative agency.  In addition, the letter also noted that such former employee has the right to receive awards or rewards in the form of a whistleblower bounty under federal regulations that may provide bounties for reporting such violations.

In letters similar to the copy attached as Exhibit 10.1, the Company has notified six other employees who entered into separation agreements dating back to 2013 of their rights to receive whistleblower bounties. Further, the Company has revised its templates for group and individual separation agreements to make clear that separating employees who might seek whistleblower bounties would be free to collect them notwithstanding their agreement not to accept further monetary recovery directly from the Company.

The following exhibits are being furnished herewith and this list shall constitute the exhibit index:

10.1

Form of letter to former employees

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, hereunto duly authorized.