Jun 03 2022

Safety and Health  

Washington Alert: Emergency regulations for outdoor heat exposure and wildfire smoke released

On June 1, 2022, emergency regulations for outdoor heat exposure and wildfire smoke were released. This Alert summarizes both sets of regulations, which take effect on June 15, 2022. WASHINGTON: L&I issues emergency rules for outdoor heat Washington’s Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) has released emergency requirements to protect workers from outdoor heat…

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Jun 02 2022

COVID-19Safety and Health  

WASHINGTON: COVID-19 temporary worker housing rules updated 5/20

On May 20, 2022, Washington’s Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) and Department of Health (DOH) made yet another update to the emergency COVID-19 (coronavirus) safety rules for temporary worker housing (TWH) in the agriculture industry. The rules took effect immediately. Here are the important changes: Education on exposure and testing positive: The previous version of the rules required…

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Jun 02 2022

Safety and Health  

WASHINGTON: Emergency wildfire smoke regulations issued

On June 1, 2022, Washington’s Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) issued emergency regulations requiring employers to protect workers from wildfire smoke. The rules are effective June 15, 2022, through September 29, 2022. Vigilant will publish an Alert on the Washington emergency wildfire smoke rules in the next few days and update…

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Jun 02 2022

Safety and Health  

WASHINGTON: Emergency rules for outdoor heat exposure published

On June 1, 2022, Washington’s Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) released emergency rules for outdoor heat exposure. The emergency rules will be effective starting on June 15, 2022, until September 29, 2022. The rules temporarily expand Washington’s permanent outdoor heat exposure rules, which are in effect annually from May 1 through…

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May 26 2022

Featured Worker’s CompWorkers’ Comp  

Workers’ comp partner or program? It’s in your control.

Many business leaders we’ve recently spoken with have expressed frustration with the Washington workers’ compensation system. The sources of this frustration most often come down to an inability to understand and control this key and costly area of their business, difficulty working with the Department of Labor & Industries (L&I), and a lack of…

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May 05 2022

Safety and Health  

Prepare for heat illness prevention

As summer approaches, now is the time to review your safety plans for protecting workers from heat illness hazards. California and Washington have state-specific heat stress regulations and directives that you must follow, while Arizona, Idaho, and Montana follow federal law. Meanwhile, Oregon is in the process of developing permanent…

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Apr 25 2022

Featured Worker’s CompSafety and HealthWorkers’ Comp  

Pssst! The secret to lowering workers’ comp premiums

The most impactful way to lower workers’ compensation costs, the secret ingredient if you will, is to prevent injuries in the first place. The Vigilant safety team spends all day everyday doing just that with hundreds of companies. We’ve learned 4 key things about preventing injuries: Establish and maintain a culture of care. At…

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Apr 07 2022

COVID-19Safety and Health  

WASHINGTON: COVID-19 temporary rule renewed through August 4, 2022

On April 6, 2022, the Washington Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) filed its emergency workplace safety rule to address COVID-19 (coronavirus), which is now effective through August 4, 2022. The prior rule expired on April 6, 2022. The updated rule (Public Health Emergency Reporting and Notification Requirements for Infectious and…

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Apr 07 2022

Employee BenefitsHiringWage and Hour  

WASHINGTON: Employers must disclose pay info in all job postings

On March 30, 2022, Washington Governor Jay Inslee signed Substitute Senate Bill 5761, which requires employers with 15 or more employees to include the wage scale or salary range in each job posting, along with a general description of all benefits and other compensation for the job, effective January 1,…

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Apr 07 2022

Wage and Hour  

WASHINGTON: Stay alert for laws that protect employee wages

There are two laws—one passed this year and one last—that protect employees in Washington from not getting paid or for fees related to bounced checks. The first, RCW Chapter 60.90, became effective January 1, 2022. It allows most employees to place a lien on their employer’s property to secure unpaid wages, as well as…

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