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Jun 04 2020
COVID-19Safety and HealthWashington

WASHINGTON: COVID-19 safety duties expanded for agriculture

On May 28, 2020, Washington Governor Jay Inslee delivered yet another proclamation (Proclamation 20-57, Concerning the Health of Agricultural Workers), which imposes even more agricultural COVID-19 requirements for worksites, and then on June 2, 2020, issued interpretive guidance on those requirements. Many items are the same as those previously required, but significant new mandates are…

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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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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-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-19DisabilitySafety and Health

WASHINGTON: Rules change on reopening and face coverings

On May 31, 2020, Washington Governor Jay Inslee issued Proclamation 20-25.4, Safe Start – Stay Healthy, which moves the state forward in reopening recreational, social, and business activities. The proclamation transitions the state from the original Stay Home – Stay Healthy order to a county-by-county phased reopening plan. The plan isn’t entirely new—phased reopening was…

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Jun 04 2020
COVID-19Washington

WASHINGTON: Wage garnishments for consumer debt back in force

The temporary moratorium on garnishment of wages for consumer debts imposed by Washington Governor Jay Inslee's Proclamation 20-49 ended on May 27, 2020, at 11:59 p.m. Employers should again withhold under writs of garnishment for consumer debt beginning with wages earned on May 28, 2020. As we previously reported, the governor issued the temporary moratorium…

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May 21 2020
COVID-19

Work with experts to comply with evolving CMV requirements

As employers with commercial motor vehicle (CMV) operations face a web of federal and state actions related to COVID-19 (coronavirus), working with subject matter experts is key. At the federal level, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), an agency within the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), continues to stay busy issuing orders and waivers…

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May 21 2020
COVID-19Leave Laws

Q&A: Decide how to handle holiday pay during FFCRA leave

Question: We have a full-time employee who’s currently on paid leave under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) because his young child’s school has been closed due to COVID-19. Our policy says that in order to receive holiday pay, you must work the day before and the day after the holiday. Do we owe…

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May 21 2020
COVID-19Leave Laws

Q&A: Dropping below 50 employees impacts FMLA calculations

Question: Due to the recent economic downturn related to COVID-19 (coronavirus), we temporarily laid off a number of employees. Do we count them for purposes of determining if we’re a covered employer (with at least 50 employees) under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)? If we drop below 50 employees, does this mean…

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May 21 2020
COVID-19DisabilityOregon

OREGON: Retailers must provide face coverings for workers

On May 15, 2020, Governor Kate Brown issued new guidance for reopening businesses throughout the state of Oregon. The mask and face covering guidance says that certain businesses, including retail stores, must require employees, contractors, and volunteers to wear a mask, face shield, or face covering to prevent the spread of COVID-19 (coronavirus). These businesses…

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May 21 2020
COVID-19Wage and HourWashington

WASHINGTON: Garnishment moratorium extended

On May 15, 2020, Governor Jay Inslee announced that the Washington Legislature agreed to extend the temporary moratorium on garnishment for consumer debts that was imposed by the governor’s Proclamation 20-49. The original proclamation expired on May 14, 2020, but the revised version (Proclamation 20-49.1) extends the moratorium until 11:59 p.m. on May 21, 2020….

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May 21 2020
COVID-19Safety and HealthWashington

WASHINGTON: Governor issues Phase 2 construction requirements

On May 15, 2020, Governor Jay Inslee’s office issued guidance for construction activity in counties that have entered Phase 2 of Washington’s reopening. The memo permits all construction to resume in Phase 2 counties, as long as employers and workers can meet all the criteria listed in the Phase 2 Construction COVID-19 Job Site Requirements….

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