COVID UPDATES
From the Desk of Julie Muller, Executive Vice President of SMACNA-WW
King County to immediately allow limited openings of businesses, maintain public health vigilance
With new state health officials’ approval today, restaurants and retailers will be allowed to serve customers in their establishments, in addition to other modified openings for a wide range of businesses and activities. Public Health – Seattle & King County will monitor transmission trends, medical capacity and other key indicators to help inform further reopening decisions. Read more .

Limited restaurant dining can resume in King, Pierce, Snohomish counties as state OKs coronavirus reopenings
Restaurants can begin to offer in-house dining in Washington’s three largest counties, as the state Health Department approved applications from King, Pierce and Snohomish counties on Friday to move to new phases of reopening the economy.

Public Health — Seattle & King County said they would monitor  the county’s infection stats until June 14, and if they remain stable, will then apply to move to Phase 2. Read more .
Inslee issues safety plan template for businesses in Phase 3
Gov. Jay Inslee today released a   template for businesses in Phase 3   of the Washington “ Safe Start ” plan. Each business or entity operating in Phase 3 must develop a written safety plan outlining how its workplace will prevent the spread of COVID-19. A business may fill out this template to fulfill the requirement or may develop its own safety plan. 

Businesses are still required to follow the  state’s industry-specific guidance , if issued for their specific industry. (See Phase 2 construction guidance .)
Navigating the legal questions of workplace returns
With non-essential employees about to return to workplaces, employers must heed legal pitfalls to avoid litigation.

With the COVID-19 pandemic appearing to subside, talk has turned to employees in non-essential jobs getting back to workplaces. But that will be easier said than done, as employers must proceed with caution, according to some employment law experts. Read more .
Consider the following scenario: a highly infectious, sometimes deadly respiratory virus infects humans for the first time. It spreads rapidly worldwide, and the WHO declares a pandemic. The death toll starts to rise and everyone is asking the same question: when will the pandemic end? Alex Rosenthal details the three main strategies governments can use to contain and end a pandemic, and which method is best. Watch here .
Last Email Update
Please click button below for our last email update on COVID-19 Resources.
Julie Muller, Esq.
Executive Vice President
jmuller@smacnaww.org | 425-289-5010