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Jan 07 2021
COVID-19Safety and HealthWashington

WASHINGTON: State will transition to regional reopening approach

Governor Jay Inslee has announced that Washington will move from a county to a regional reopening approach during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, beginning on January 11, 2021. The “Healthy Washington — Roadmap to Recovery” plan divides the state into eight geographic regions and initially provides for two levels of reopening: Phase 1 and Phase 2….

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Jan 07 2021
COVID-19Safety and HealthWashington

WASHINGTON: Updates coming to temporary worker housing rules

The existing safety rules for temporary worker housing (TWH) in the agriculture industry issued by Washington’s Departments of Labor & Industries (L&I) and Health (DOH) will soon be updated following their expiration on January 8, 2021. As a reminder, the larger framework for agriculture COVID-19 (coronavirus) safety compliance in Washington continues to be Proclamation 20-57.1, and…

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Jan 07 2021
COVID-19Hiring

Form I-9 remote inspection extended again, until January 31, 2021

The Department of Homeland Security has again extended its temporary relaxation of the standards for physically inspecting a new worker’s employment eligibility documents when completing the Form I-9. This is the sixth extension of the relaxed standard, which will now expire on January 31, 2021. As we originally reported, Homeland Security relaxed the requirement for…

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Jan 07 2021
COVID-19

H-2A workers’ ability to switch employers is extended again

The Department of Homeland Security has again extended the temporary rule allowing certain employers to streamline the process of hiring foreign temporary and seasonal agricultural workers with H-2A status during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) public health emergency. As we previously reported, Homeland Security implemented the rule change at the beginning of the pandemic to allow any…

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Jan 07 2021
Affirmative ActionHarassment & Discrimination

Court halts enforcement of executive order on diversity training

A federal district court has temporarily stopped the federal government nationwide from enforcing Executive Order 13950, Executive Order on Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping, to the extent that the order prohibits federal contractors from training their employees on “divisive concepts” related to race and sex discrimination and puts federal grantees at risk of losing their…

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Dec 17 2020
COVID-19DisabilitySafety and Health

EEOC addresses vaccine mandates

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has added a new section to its FAQs on COVID-19 (coronavirus) to address the degree to which employers can require workers to be vaccinated. The publication, “What You Should Know About COVID-19 and the ADA, the Rehabilitation Act, and Other EEO Laws,” addresses considerations under the Americans with…

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Dec 17 2020
ArizonaCaliforniaIdaho

States adopt modified quarantine guidance for COVID-19 exposure

Arizona, California, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana have followed in Washington’s footsteps and adopted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s new shorter quarantine options either in whole or in part. As we previously reported, the CDC maintains that its prior recommendation of a 14-day quarantine for exposed individuals is still the safest way to…

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Dec 17 2020
COVID-19OregonSafety and Health

OREGON: More new documents released on COVID-19 rule

The Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Administration (Oregon OSHA) continues to release new documents to help employers comply with its COVID-19 (coronavirus) workplace safety rule. As we previously reported, the rule requires employers to develop and implement certain safety protocols to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace. As of our last publication, Oregon…

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Dec 17 2020
COVID-19Leave Laws

FFCRA paid leaves set to end on December 31, 2020

The emergency paid sick leave (EPSL) and emergency family and medical leave (EFMLA) created under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) are set to end on December 31, 2020. Although Congress continues to work on passing another COVID-19 relief bill, currently there is no provision in any bill to extend the EPSL or the EFMLA….

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Dec 03 2020
COVID-19OregonSafety and Health

OREGON: More guidance released on COVID-19 safety rule

The Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Administration (Oregon OSHA) recently released some new documents to help employers comply with its COVID-19 (coronavirus) workplace safety rule. As we previously reported, the rule requires employers to develop and implement certain safety protocols to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace. On its infectious disease rulemaking webpage,…

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Dec 03 2020
COVID-19Safety and Health

CDC modifies quarantine guidance for COVID-19 exposure

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued new shorter quarantine options for consideration by local public health authorities on December 2, 2020. The CDC still recommends a 14-day quarantine after exposure to COVID-19 (coronavirus) but says local authorities may shorten that time depending on local conditions. The new options would allow individuals who…

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Dec 02 2020
COVID-19CaliforniaSafety and Health

CALIFORNIA: Emergency COVID-19 safety rule effective now

California’s Office of Administrative Law (OAL) has approved a statewide emergency workplace safety regulation addressing COVID-19 (coronavirus), established by the state’s Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board. The approved rule took effect immediately, on November 30, 2020, and will remain in effect until October 2, 2021, according to the Board’s webpage for emergency rulemaking on COVID-19 prevention….

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