If there is one constant in this pandemic as it relates to safety protocols, it seems to be that nothing stays constant for very long. As we look towards the beginning of fall, the rise of the Delta variant has meant a step back towards some safety protocols
in public situations.
The COVID-19 vaccination mandate issued by the governor on August 20 will impact cities as some
employee groups, including public safety and medical services, as well as jails and others. Following multiple counties implementing mask mandates, the state followed and instituted a statewide mask mandate. As of August 23, masking in indoor public spaces is now again required. However, there are some exceptions to this rule that would allow some workers to remove their masks.
In spaces not easily accessible by the public, vaccinated employees whose status has been verified by the employer may remove their mask indoors. Employees working alone may also remove their mask, regardless of vaccination status. L&I has released
this masking guidance document to help organizations understand their obligations, and where/how employees may
go unmasked in their facilities. As a reminder, entities may be stricter than the allowed exemptions if they so choose; organizations are not mandated to allow these exemptions.
AWC has also provided more general guidance about the impacts to cities caused by these two latest mandates
from the governor’s office. Questions? Contact the Retro team.