Gov. Inslee signs new proclamation covering high-risk employees and the coronoavirus
Governor Jay Inslee issued Proclamation 20-46 today (see ), amending Proclamation 20-05, which prevents all employers, public or private, from failing to provide accommodation to high risk employees, as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), that protects them from risk of exposure to the COVID-19 disease on the job.
Specifically:
1. The employer must offer high-risk employees alternative work assignments, including telework, alternative, or remote work locations, if feasible, and social distancing measures:
2. If an alternative work assignment is not feasible, or the employee declines, the employer must allow the employee to use any accrued leave or seek unemployment benefits;
3. The employer must maintain the employee鈥檚 health insurance benefits;
4. The employer is prohibited from permanently replacing high-risk employees.
This proclamation is effective today and expires on June 12, 2020, unless extended by the Governor.
If you are at high-risk, as defined by the CDC, (see ) and would like to request an accommodation under the Proclamation, please contact Western's Human Resources office at hr.disability@wwu.edu .