On June 5, 2020, King County was approved for “modified Phase 1” under Washington State’s Safe Start Washington plan for reopening business in phases. Modified Phase 1 is not everything that Phase 2 is, but it’s more than Phase 1 where the county has been stuck while other counties have moved to Phase 2, and […]
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Facial Coverings Required in Washington Workplaces
Beginning June 8, 2020, cloth face coverings and masks must be worn by all workers in all workplaces and job sites in Washington state.
COVID-19 and the Public Charge Rule
I have been getting numerous inquiries from clients regarding whether their receiving government benefits through CARES Act will affect their current or impending immigration statuses. USCIS started its expansive public charge rules as of February 24, 2020. What used to be not considered as public benefits triggering inadmissibility in the past got included such as […]
Washington Reinstates Protections for Domestic Violence Victims
On May 15, 2020, Washington State Legislature renewed Proclamation 20-45 which waives certain statutory requirements for domestic abuse victims seeking emergency protection during COVID quarantine. Our prior coverage on Proclamation 20-45 details the ways in which victims can seek emergency protection through electronic filing. On May 9, Senate Republicans denied the extension of these protective […]
Mask Up, King County!
Starting Monday, May 18, 2020, everyone in King County, Washington must wear cloth face coverings over their noses and mouths while at (a) “indoor public settings,” and (b) “outdoor public locations” where six feet of physical distancing from another person cannot be maintained. This is the written directive of Dr. Jeff Duchin by virtue of […]
Understanding the Paycheck Protection Program Loan Forgiveness Application
On a May 15, 2020, the Small Business Association (“SBA”) provided its first draft of the Paycheck Protection Program loan forgiveness application (“Loan Forgiveness Application”). Although there will be a great deal of work to do in order to unpack everything in the application from a legal and accounting perspective, it is helpful to take […]
Safe Harbor Guidance on Necessity and Uncertainty Certification for PPP Borrowers
Recipients of PPP loans less than $2 million who were worried about the “necessity” certification they made on the loan application, and whether they should return their loans before the safe harbor date, can breathe a sigh of relief. A new SBA FAQ says their loan applications will be deemed to have been submitted in […]
Update on Proclamation 20-45 and Protections for Domestic Violence Victims
On Saturday, May 9th, Senate Republicans blocked the extension of Governor Inslee’s Emergency Proclamation 20-45 Protection Orders and Personal Service. This Proclamation, issued on April 10th, provided protections for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking by easing the process by which victims can seek emergency protection orders and waiving in-person proceedings. This includes […]
CDC Guidance for Phased Reopening of Workplaces
Recently, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) draft guidelines for a 3-phased re-opening plan were released and published by national news media. Although rejected by the White House Coronavirus Task Force, given the often conflicting guidance coming from the White House, it is likely these guidelines would be viewed by some local and […]
Washington’s “Start Safe” Plan for Reopening Business
On May 4, 2020, Washington Governor Jay Inslee extended the restrictions set forth in his Stay Home-Stay Healthy proclamation through May 31, 2020, and released a Start Safe Washington plan that reopens the state’s economy in four phases. Under this phased reopening plan, some businesses may reopen as early as Tuesday, May 5, 2020, […]