Vigilant Blog
News, trends and analysis in employment law, HR, safety & workers' comp
Mar
27
2020
WASHINGTON: L&I offers payment plans to struggling businesses
The Washington Department of Labor and Industries (L&I)’s Employer Assistance Program is designed to work with financially distressed businesses during hard times, and arrange for payment plans for workers’ compensation premiums. This may be helpful if your business is struggling due to issues related to COVID-19 (coronavirus). The program allows a business to…
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Mar
27
2020
WASHINGTON: Paid Family and Medical Leave law amended
On March 25, 2020, Governor Inslee signed an amendment to the Washington Paid Family and Medical Leave (WPFML) program (SHB 2614). This bill doesn’t have anything to do with the current pandemic. Instead, it makes technical corrections to the WPFML program, to ensure the intent of the original bill is intact. The…
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Mar
27
2020
WASHINGTON: Work search requirements waived for unemployment
Governor Inslee signed a proclamation that waives the work search requirements for receiving unemployment insurance. The governor previously waived the one-week waiting period, so the Washington State Employment Security Department (ESD) can provide immediate benefits to those who have been financially impacted by COVID-19 (coronavirus). “We need to do whatever we can to…
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Mar
27
2020
WASHINGTON: Online form available to clarify essential business status
For Washington businesses still unclear about whether they’re essential and thus allowed to continue operating during Governor Inslee’s Stay Home, Stay Healthy Order, the state has created a simple online form to request clarification or ask to be added to the list of essential businesses. The order, which closed non-essential businesses in…
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Mar
27
2020
WASHINGTON: Home and commercial construction not “essential”
On March 25, 2020, Governor Jay Inslee released a memo clarifying which construction workers are included in the “Essential Critical Infrastructure Workers” list. Only those included on the list are allowed to travel to their essential businesses, according to the governor’s Stay Home—Stay Healthy Order, which seeks to slow the spread of COVID-19…
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Mar
27
2020
OREGON: Workers can report workplace COVID-19 safety violations
Oregon Governor Kate Brown is encouraging workers who believe their company isn’t following safety and health advisories related to COVID-19 (coronavirus) to file a report online with Oregon’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Oregon OSHA has the authority to investigate the complaint and require compliance with all workplace restrictions related to the…
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Mar
27
2020
MONTANA: Governor Bullock issues stay-at-home order
Governor Steve Bullock has joined a number of other states in issuing an order that requires individuals to stay home due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), unless engaging in certain activities deemed essential. Under Governor Bullock’s order, all businesses in Montana must close, except those that are engaged in “Essential Businesses and Operations,” which includes a…
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Mar
27
2020
IDAHO: Order issued to self-isolate for non-essential activities
On March 25, 2020, Dave Jeppesen, Director of the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, issued an Order to Self-Isolate for the State of Idaho, which requires all Idaho residents to self-isolate and all non-essential businesses to close from 1:30 p.m. on March 25, 2020, until 11:59 p.m. on April…
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Mar
27
2020
CALIFORNIA: Guidance issued on partial suspension of Cal-WARN notice
Guidance is now available from the Labor & Workforce Development Agency on Governor Gavin Newsom’s temporary suspension of certain employer obligations under the California Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (Cal-WARN Act) if employers need to close or downsize suddenly due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) situation. As we previously reported, the governor…
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Mar
27
2020
New Social Distancing Policy available
Vigilant has developed a new Social Distancing Policy to help employers comply with orders that have been issued by various state governors in the past week, requiring implementation of social distancing measures at work to reduce the spread of COVID-19 (coronavirus). In particular, Oregon employers are required to “establish, implement, and…
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