As readers already know, Washington ended its COVID-19 state of emergency on October 31. The Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) has since released new guidance on how employers should still work to prevent COVID-19 infections outside the state of emergency.

The guidance reminds employers that they still must assess workplace COVID-19 hazards and address those hazards through their normal accident prevention programs, as they would any workplace hazard. This includes requiring infected employees to quarantine for at least 5 days, informing employees of coworker's infections, and reporting outbreaks to L&I. Masks are generally still required in health care settings, long-term care settings, many jails, or when a local or state health authority requires it.

L&I recommends employers continue supporting vaccinations, provide masks for employees’ voluntary use, consider continuing some form of distancing in the workplace, encourage employees and customers to avoid coming to the worksite in person when possible, and for individual employees to mask up immediately following a return to work after an infection.

Finally, employers are still required to make reasonable accommodations to protect high risk employees from infection under the Americans with Disabilities Act.