On May 4, 2020, Washington Governor Jay Inslee extended the Stay Home — Stay Healthy order through May 31, 2020, and issued the state’s Safe Start plan that sets out the criteria for reopening Washington in phases so as to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19 (coronavirus). Phase 1 of reopening began May…
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Washington’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) issued an updated directive to its safety compliance officers, effective April 27, 2020, which incorporates guidance on when it’s okay to allow essential workers to return after a potential exposure to COVID-19 (coronavirus). This directive supersedes the April 7 version on which we previously…
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On April 24, 2020, Governor Jay Inslee announced that non-essential, “low-risk” construction projects that were previously paused may resume operation if they follow 30 specific safety requirements to contain the spread of COVID-19 (coronavirus). As we previously reported, residential and commercial construction was deemed non-essential unless it was related to providing other…
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The Washington Department of Labor and Industries (L&I)’s Wage and Hour team recently confirmed in an informal email that employers aren’t obligated to return garnished wages to employees when the withholding took place before the governor’s garnishment moratorium on April 14, 2020. L&I can’t say conclusively what you should do with that money, but suggested it may be most…
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Washington’s Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) recently released new requirements and suggestions for agriculture and related industry employers to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 (coronavirus). L&I released a general fact sheet containing requirements and suggestions for all agriculture and related industries and another that’s specific to food processing and warehouse…
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Question: Before Governor Inslee’s order temporarily halting garnishments for consumer debt took effect on April 14, 2020, we withheld wages and set the money aside to send to the creditor once the 60-day garnishment period ended. Should we refund that money to our employee? Or should we hold on to it and…
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Washington employers must temporarily stop withholding worker wages under writs of garnishment, according to a proclamation issued by Governor Jay Inslee to ease financial hardships for workers during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. This includes writs you currently hold and any new writs you receive starting April 14 and continuing through May 14, 2020. The…
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Beginning April 8, 2020, employers in Seattle aren’t allowed to require documentation from a health care provider to verify an employee’s use of Paid Sick and Safe Time (PSST), even if the employee is absent more than three days. You must identify another way for the employee to meet your verification…
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Washington Governor Jay Inslee has amended his Stay Home – Stay Healthy order to permit protected leave for employees who are at a higher risk to contract COVID-19 (coronavirus), specifically those aged 65 and over and those with certain chronic underlying health conditions, as defined by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The amended order, which was…
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Washington’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) has issued a directive to its safety compliance officers outlining the standards for evaluating workplace safety measures to protect workers from COVID-19 (coronavirus). DOSH compliance officers who inspect the workplace will generally expect you to have the following basic measures in place: Educate workers (and…
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