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Jul 01 2020
COVID-19CaliforniaIdaho

ALERT: Understand face covering requirements in your area

Understand face covering requirements in your area Vigilant members have been asking how recent face covering mandates to reduce the spread of COVID-19 (coronavirus) apply to their businesses, so below is a summary of the general requirements in our member states. California, Oregon, and Washington have statewide face covering mandates. Arizona and Idaho don’t have…

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Jun 18 2020
COVID-19Safety and Health

EEOC updates COVID-19 guidance

EEOC updates COVID-19 guidance The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recently updated its technical assistance guidance regarding COVID-19 (coronavirus).These new FAQs clarify and update the agency’s guidance on several COVID-19-related issues. No protection for shielding high-risk family members: The guidance clarifies that there’s no protection under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) for an…

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Jun 18 2020
COVID-19Safety and Health

Podcast available on preventing heat illness

Vigilant’s safety team has released an 18-minute podcast on Heat-Related Illness/Heat Stress. This is the time of year when it can strike workers who are unprepared and don’t have adequate shade, water, rest time, and cooling stations to keep their body temperature within acceptable limits. It’s critical to establish a written heat illness prevention plan…

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Jun 18 2020
COVID-19DisabilityEmployee Benefits

WASHINGTON: Governor extends protections for high-risk workers

On June 9, 2020, Washington Governor Jay Inslee extended the protections 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 original proclamation expired on June 12, 2020, but…

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Jun 18 2020
COVID-19Oregon

OREGON: Governor updates reopening orders and mask policy

Governor Kate Brown recently issued a series of orders and decisions affecting Oregon’s phased reopening from restrictions to slow the spread of COVID-19 (coronavirus). This remains a fluid situation. Even as we publish this newsletter, the governor and the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) continue to issue new orders and update previously published guidance. Please check…

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Jun 18 2020
COVID-19Idaho

IDAHO: State to entice workers with return-to-work cash bonuses

Idaho Governor Brad Little has announced a plan to pay between $750.00 and $1,500.00 to Idaho workers who return to work after receiving unemployment benefits. Some workers are making more money from enhanced unemployment benefits (which continue through July 31, 2020), than they did when they were working, so employers are struggling to get them…

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Jun 18 2020
COVID-19CaliforniaSafety and Health

CALIFORNIA: New statewide face covering order issued

The California Department of Public Health is requiring people to wear face coverings in broadly defined “high-risk situations” statewide, effective June 18, 2020. High-risk situations that apply to workers (whether at a regular workplace or performing work off-site) include: In-person interactions with members of the public; Working in any space visited by members of the…

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Jun 18 2020
Labor RelationsQ&A

Q&A: Know how to address inflammatory social media posts

Question: Several employees have reported that a coworker posted offensive content on Facebook about the recent protests. They say that she’s making “racist” comments and it makes them uncomfortable. Can we discipline the employee? If not, what else can we do to address this behavior? Answer: First, gather all of the facts. Find out exactly…

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Jun 16 2020
CaliforniaHarassment & DiscriminationIdaho

ALERT: Title VII protects sexual orientation and gender identity

In this 6-to-3 opinion written by Justice Gorsuch, the Court decided three different cases. All three employers admitted they had terminated employees solely because they were “homosexual or transgender.” In Bostock v. Clayton County, a county child welfare advocate was terminated for conduct “unbecoming” because he participated in a gay recreational softball league. In the case…

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Jun 04 2020
COVID-19CaliforniaLeave Laws

CALIFORNIA: Oakland and Long Beach expand paid sick leave

Following the trend in cities across California, Oakland and Long Beach are the latest to adopt supplemental emergency paid sick leave (EPSL) ordinances related to COVID-19 (coronavirus), with both laws effective immediately. We previously reported that San Francisco, San Jose, Los Angeles, and Los Angeles County recently passed ordinances providing similar EPSL and that California…

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Jun 04 2020
COVID-19CaliforniaSafety and Health

CALIFORNIA: CCPA notice should include medical information

If you’re conducting pre-shift health screenings as part of your COVID-19 (coronavirus) prevention efforts, be sure you understand how gathering medical information could implicate the California Consumer Protection Act (CCPA). As we previously reported, the CCPA took effect on January 1, 2020, and requires certain employers to provide disclosures to applicants, employees, and contractors who…

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Jun 04 2020
COVID-19CaliforniaIdaho

States are in various stages of reopening

Vigilant member states are reopening at different rates, some on a statewide basis and some on a county-by-county basis as efforts to control the spread of COVID-19 (coronavirus) appear to be having an impact. Here’s a summary of the reopening status of each state: Arizona: Businesses are open, with restrictions, as of May 16, 2020,…

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If you are a manufacturing or agriculture employer in Washington and committed to keeping your employees safe and working, you may be eligible for Vigilant's workers' compensation Retro or claims management programs. To see if you qualify fill out our release form now, or contact us.

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