In response to the Center for Disease Control’s (CDC) recently released guidance on fully vaccinated people not wearing masks or observing social distancing, the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) issued updated guidance for employers related to masks and social distancing in the workplace.
In Washington State, fully vaccinated employees do not have to wear masks or social distance at work unless their employer or local public health agency still has the requirement(s) in place. Before an employer implements these new requirements, they must confirm that their workers are fully vaccinated by having workers’ either sign a document attesting to their vaccination status or by providing proof of vaccination. Acceptable document includes: the CDC vaccination card, a photo of the card, documentation from a health care provider, documentation from the state immunization system, or a signed attestation from the worker. Evidence of worker vaccination must be available to L&I upon request.
Employers must be able to demonstrate that they have verified vaccination status of workers. Verification methods may include:
- Creating a log of workers who have verified they have been vaccinated and date of vaccination.
- Checking vaccination status each day as workers enter the facility.
- Marking a worker’s badge or credential to indicate vaccinated.
- Or any other method that would demonstrate that an employer has verified worker vaccination status.
If an employee is not fully vaccinated or their status is unknown, then employers must continue to require the use of masks as well as social distancing protocols. Unvaccinated individuals must continue to wear masks in all public spaces. Regardless of vaccination status, employees may wear face masks, or other protective equipment, in the workplace if they choose to do so.
PRINTING United Alliance seeks to keep the industry updated on workplace requirements related to COVID-19 workplace safety requirements. These changes are rapidly evolving, and if you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to Marci Kinter, mkinter@printing.org , Gary Jones, gjones@printing.org, or Adriane Harrison, aharrison@printing.org