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Apr 30 2020
COVID-19Wage and HourWashington

WASHINGTON: L&I weighs in on garnishment moratorium

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…

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Apr 23 2020
COVID-19Safety and HealthWashington

WASHINGTON: L&I tackles COVID-19 safety for ag & food workers

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 operations. The agency…

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Apr 23 2020
COVID-19Wage and HourWashington

WASHINGTON Q&A: Don’t refund garnished wages already collected

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 send it to…

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Apr 16 2020
COVID-19Wage and HourWashington

WASHINGTON: Governor suspends garnishments for consumer debts

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 proclamation temporarily suspends…

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Apr 16 2020
COVID-19Leave LawsWashington

WASHINGTON: Seattle prohibits requiring doctors’ notes for PSST

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 requirements, such as by…

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Apr 14 2020
COVID-19Employee BenefitsLeave Laws

ALERT: High-risk employees in Washington may take protected leave

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 issued…

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Apr 09 2020
COVID-19Safety and HealthWashington

WASHINGTON: DOSH implements COVID-19 workplace enforcement

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 customers, if…

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Apr 09 2020
COVID-19CaliforniaIdaho

Extended school closures mean more leave requests

As school closures due to COVID-19 (coronavirus) are being extended, employers will likely see more leave requests from workers. Officials in Arizona, California, Oregon, and Washington have closed in-person instruction through the end of the school year. In Idaho, schools are closed through the end of the school year but local school districts have the…

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Apr 03 2020
COVID-19Employee BenefitsLeave Laws

WASHINGTON: ESD proposes new rules for PFML

The Washington Employment Security Department (ESD) is asking for feedback by May 6, 2020, on proposed rules affecting the state’s Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) program. These proposals have nothing to do with the current pandemic or federal emergency leave benefits and are mostly minor technical changes. However, they do include a long-awaited requirement…

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Apr 03 2020
COVID-19Washington

WASHINGTON: Order extended to May 4; business list updated

Last night Governor Jay Inslee extended his Stay Home – Stay Healthy order through May 4, 2020. The order, which was issued to slow the spread of COVID-19 (coronavirus), was originally in effect through April 6, 2020. The order prevents individuals from leaving home unless they engage in essential activities or essential business services. Unless…

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Mar 27 2020
COVID-19WashingtonWorkers’ Comp

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 ask for…

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Mar 27 2020
DisabilityLeave LawsWage and Hour

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 new bill signed…

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