Press release issued 12.2.20
Gov. Jay Inslee today updated restrictions for religious and faith based organizations.
The update clarifies that religious and faith-based organizations can hold outdoor services with up to 200 individuals, regardless of location, so long as physical distancing is followed and face coverings are worn. This modification expands where outdoor services can be held, services are no longer limited to the organization’s property or an immediately adjacent property.
Religious and Faith-based Organizations
COVID-19 Requirements
With continuing reports of COVID-19 outbreaks at spiritual gatherings, the Governor still strongly
encourages religious leaders and communities to conduct services remotely. Alternatively, drive-in
services are permitted and capacity limits do not apply. Counseling services are essential and may be
permitted in-person, if remote counseling is not viable.
In addition to remote and drive-in services, religious and faith-based organizations are permitted to
conduct the following activities, provided all requirements in this document are met:
A) Hold indoor services at a place of worship with up to 25% of room capacity or up to 200 people,
whichever is less, so long as six feet of physical distancing can be achieved between households in all
directions. Cloth face coverings are required for all participants.
B) Hold outdoor services with up to 200 individuals, so long as six feet of physical distancing can be
achieved between households in all directions. Cloth face coverings are required for all participants.
Outdoor services may be conducted under an outdoor structure (temporary or permanent) so long as
the Outdoor Seating Requirements are followed.
C) Hold or provide in-home services inside a person’s residence with up to five total individuals
(excluding organization staff). Cloth face coverings are required for all participants.
Staff are excluded from the maximum number of individuals, but any organization volunteers are
included in the maximum number of permissible individuals. The services covered in these operational
guidelines include all worship services, religious study classes, religious ceremonies, and religious
holiday celebrations. Religious weddings and funerals are not covered under this document and must
follow the guidance in this memo.
Organizations are strongly encouraged to keep a log of attendees at each service or counseling session,
and to retain that log for at least two weeks. If an outbreak occurs, this information may be critical to
help save lives.
Safety and Health Requirements
All employers (including religious and faith-based organizations) have a general obligation to keep a safe
and healthy facility in accordance with state and federal law and safety and health rules for a variety of
workplace hazards. In addition, they must comply with the following COVID-19 organization-specific
safety practices, as outlined in the Governor’s Stay Home, Stay Healthy Proclamation 20-25, et seq., and
in accordance with the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries General Requirements and
Prevention Ideas for Workplaces and the Washington State Department of Health Workplace and
Employer Resources & Recommendations at https://www.doh.wa.gov/Coronavirus/workplace.
Religious and faith-based organizations must specifically ensure operations follow the main L&I COVID19 requirements to protect employees:
• Educate all employees in the language they understand best about coronavirus, how to prevent
transmission, and the owner’s COVID-19 policies.
• Screen employees for signs/symptoms of COVID-19 at the start of every shift. Make sure sick
employees stay home or immediately go home if they feel or appear sick. Cordon off any areas
where an employee with probable or confirmed COVID-19 illness worked, touched surfaces, etc.,
until the area and equipment is cleaned and sanitized. Follow the cleaning guidelines set by the
CDC to deep clean and sanitize.
• Maintain minimum six-foot separation between all persons in all interactions and at all times.
When strict physical distancing is not feasible for a specific task, other prevention measures are
required, such as use of barriers, minimization of individuals in narrow, enclosed areas and
waiting rooms, staggered breaks, and work shift starts.
• Provide (at no cost to employees) and require the wearing of personal protective equipment
(PPE) such as gloves, goggles, face shields and face covering masks as appropriate or required for
the work activity being performed. Cloth face coverings must be worn by every employee not
working alone at the location unless their exposure dictates a higher level of protection under
Department of Labor & Industries safety and health rules and guidance. The facial covering
requirement does apply to the individual(s) leading the service.
o Exceptions to this requirement for cloth face coverings include when working alone in an
office, vehicle, or at a job site; if the individual is deaf or hard of hearing and is
communicating with someone who relies on language cues such as facial markers and
expression and mouth movements as a part of communication; if the individual has a
medical condition or disability that makes wearing a facial covering inappropriate; or when
the job has no in-person interaction.
• Refer to Coronavirus Facial Covering and Mask Requirements for additional details. A cloth facial
covering is described in the Department of Health guidance, Department of Health guidance.
• Ensure frequent and adequate hand washing with adequate maintenance of supplies. Use
disposable gloves, where safe and applicable, to prevent virus transmission on items that are
touched frequently or shared and discard after a single use.
• Establish a housekeeping schedule that includes frequent cleaning and sanitizing with a particular
emphasis on commonly touched services.
• Post a sign at the entrance to the organization that says face coverings are required.
A location-specific COVID-19 supervisor shall be designated by the organization at each location (indoor
and outdoor) to monitor the health of employees and enforce the COVID-19 safety plan.
An employee may refuse to perform unsafe work, including hazards created by COVID-19. And, it is
unlawful for the employer to take adverse action against an employee who has engaged in safetyprotected activities under the law if the individual’s work refusal meets certain requirements.
Information is available in these publications: Safety and Health Discrimination in the Workplace
brochure and Spanish Safety and Health Discrimination brochure.
Employees who choose to remove themselves from a worksite because they do not believe it is safe to
work due to the risk of COVID-19 exposure may have access to certain leave or unemployment benefits.
Employers must provide high-risk individuals covered by Proclamation 20-46, et seq., with their choice
of access to available employer-granted accrued leave or unemployment benefits if an alternative work
arrangement is not feasible. Other employees may have access to expanded family and medical leave
included in the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, access to unemployment benefits, or access to
other paid time off depending on the circumstances. Additional information is available at Novel
Coronavirus Outbreak (COVID-19) Resources and Paid Leave under the Washington Family Care Act and
the Families First Coronavirus Response Act.
All religious and faith-based organizations are required to comply with the following COVID-19
organization-specific safety practices:
1. Prior to beginning operations as described in this document, all religious and faith-based
organizations are required to develop for each location (indoor and outdoor if applicable) a
comprehensive COVID-19 exposure control, mitigation and recovery plan. The plan must include
policies regarding the following control measures: PPE utilization; on-location physical distancing;
hygiene; sanitation; symptom monitoring; incident reporting; location disinfection procedures;
COVID-19 safety training; exposure response procedures and a post-exposure incident projectwide recovery plan. A copy of the plan must be available at the location for inspection by state
and local authorities, but state and local authorities do not preapprove the plan. Failure to meet
planning requirements may result in sanctions, including the location being shut down.
2. COVID-19 safety information and requirements, such as CDC, DOH, OSHA posters shall be visibly
posted at each location (indoor and outdoor).
3. Face Coverings and Exemptions - All employees, members, and visitors in attendance shall wear
face coverings before, during, and after the service (whether indoor or outdoor). The face
covering requirement does apply to individual(s) leading the service and others who speak during
any live service. There are exemptions to wearing face covering, so please refer to the
Department of Health’s Order on Face Coverings. If the speaker needs an accommodation due to
a medical exemption, then a Plexiglas 3-sided barrier may be used during the service. The barrier
must be disinfected after every use.
For services that are recorded or filmed without a live audience, then face coverings are not
required for individuals while they are speaking.
4. There may be no direct physical contact between servers and members or visitors. Anything to
be consumed may not be presented to the members or visitors in a communal container or
plate.
5. Music – No choir, band, or ensemble shall perform during the service and congregation singing is
prohibited. Soloist musical performances are permitted with a piano accompanist so long as the
performer wears a face covering. In the event the soloist is performing on a woodwind or brass
instrument, the soloist may remove their face covering only during the performance.
6. All services may provide access to restrooms, provided that access is controlled and capacity is
limited to no more than the number of stalls in the restroom. Individuals waiting to use the
restroom must maintain at least 6 feet of distance between each person.
7. Soap and running water shall be abundantly provided at locations for frequent handwashing.
Employees should be encouraged to leave their workstations to wash their hands regularly, and
required to do so before and after going to the bathroom, before and after eating and after
coughing, sneezing or blowing their nose. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers with greater than 60%
ethanol or 70% isopropanol should also be provided and used, but are not a replacement for the
water requirement.
8. Disinfectants must be available to employees, members, and visitors throughout the location
(indoor and outdoor) and ensure cleaning supplies are frequently replenished.
9. Clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces after each use—including personal work stations,
mirrors, chairs, headrests and armrests, doorknobs, handrails, restrooms and breakrooms—using
soapy water, followed by the appropriate disinfectants. If these areas cannot be cleaned and
disinfected frequently, the organization shall be shut down until such measures can be achieved
and maintained.
10. All organizations must adhere to physical distancing requirements and have six feet of space
between workstations or have physical barriers between them.
11. All organizations must adhere to physical distancing requirements and have six feet of space in
all directions between the congregation’s seats, pews, and benches or have physical barriers
between them. Members of the same household may be seated together as a single unit. This
may require the organization to reconfigure the congregation’s seats, pews, and benches or have
physical barriers between them. The organization must place markings on the floors and seats
indicating a six feet radius to help guide members and visitors. Brief physical contact may be
permitted among a limited number of people (up to 5 individuals) if it is a critical component to
the organization’s religious service so long as masks are worn and hands are sanitized
immediately before and after the contact.
12. Increase ventilation rates where feasible.
13. Ensure that tissues and trashcans are placed throughout the location (indoor and outdoor).
14. Inform all employees, members, and guests that they must self-screen for signs and symptoms of
COVID-19 before arriving at the location.
• Request employees, members, and visitors to take their temperature before attending a
service. Any individual with a temperature of 100.4°F will not be permitted to attend the
service or attend work at the organization.
• Any individual with a household member who has been diagnosed with COVID-19 or with
symptoms of COVID-19 (including a fever above 100.4°F) may not attend the service or
attend work at the organization.
15. For in-home services, religious and faith-based organizations are permitted to convene up to five
individuals excluding organization staff. These individuals do not need to be from the same
household. However, individuals must wear face coverings when individuals from outside of the
household participate.
All issues regarding worker safety and health are subject to enforcement action under L&I’s Division of
Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH).
• Employers can request COVID-19 prevention advice and help from DOSH.
• Employee workplace safety and health complaints may be submitted to the DOSH Call Center: (1-
800-423-7233) or via e-mail to adag235@lni.wa.gov.
• General questions about how to comply with the agreement practices can be submitted to the
state’s Business Response Center at https://coronavirus.wa.gov/how-you-can-help/covid-19-
business-and-worker-inquiries.
• All other violations related to Proclamation 20-25, et seq., can be submitted at
https://coronavirus.wa.gov/report-safe-start-violation.
IN OTHER STATE HEADLINE NEWS:
Inslee issues proclamation waiving College Bound scholarship signature requirement.
Gov. Jay Inslee issued a proclamation today waiving the signature requirement for students enrolling in the College Bound scholarship.
College Bound Program Pledge Waivers (20-77):
This proclamation waives the mandatory College Bound Scholarship Program Pledge in RCW 28B.118.010(3). These pledges are in paper form, typically signed by 7th and 8th graders, witnessed by a parent/guardian, and then forwarded to the office of student financial assistance. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, students do not have the in-person recruitment and support from teachers and counselors to complete this process, which is necessary for students to be eligible to receive grants when they go to college. In fact, grant sign-ups have taken a significant decline since March. Students making the College Bound scholarship pledge while this proclamation is effective will not need to submit a signed form at a later date.
Applications open for new round of state Working Washington business grants.
OLYMPIA, WA — Small businesses struggling to survive the impact of COVID-19 can apply now for up to $20,000 in a new round of $50 million in state Working Washington grants. Priority is focused on businesses with annual revenues of $5 million or less in 2019 and those most impacted by the recent public health measures, as well as businesses in sectors that have experienced significant, cumulative impacts. Examples include full-service restaurants, fitness centers, bowling alleys and music and event venues.
Cleaning up: Promising pilot test destroying groundwater contamination in Spokane Valley--DOE
https://ecology.wa.gov/Blog/Posts/December-2020/Cleaning-up-Promising-pilot-test-destroying-ground
Pressing on: Second of three weekend closures in Montesano for SR 107 Chehalis River Bridge scheduled--WSDOT
WORLD HEADLINE NEWS:
Revealed: The cost of the pandemic on world's poorest countries.
More than 32 million of the world’s poorest people face being pulled back into extreme poverty because of COVID-19, leading UN economists said on Thursday, highlighting data showing that the pandemic is likely to cause the worst economic crisis in decades among least developed countries (LDCs).
https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/12/1079162
COVID-19 could see over 200 million more pushed into extreme poverty, new UN development report finds.
An additional 207 million people could be pushed into extreme poverty by 2030, due to the severe long term impact of the coronavirus pandemic, bringing the total number to more than a billion, a new study from the UN Development Programme (UNDP) has found.
https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/12/1079152
UN experts call for clemency for Lisa Montgomery, as US reschedules planned execution
UN independent human rights experts expressed serious concern on Thursday, after the United States Government rescheduled the execution of Lisa Montgomery for 12 January, just days before new President Joe Biden, an opponent of the death penalty, is due to be sworn in.
https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/12/1079192
Recognize and protect rights of persons with disabilities, UN chief urges, marking International Day
The United Nations is commemorating the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, on Thursday, calling for greater inclusion for persons with disabilities, and recognizing and protecting their human rights.
https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/12/1079142
NATIONAL HEADLINES
Presidential Message on International Day of Persons with Disabilities, 2020--WH
Today, in the United States and around the world, we celebrate the inherent dignity and contributions of persons with disabilities. Our families and communities are enriched by their presence in our lives, and we are inspired by how they teach us to accept challenges with grace and humility. We honor them and their tremendous strength, resilience, and skill, and we remain steadfast in our work to remove societal barriers to their success so they may pursue their full potential.
Airmen Use Fog Machines to Disinfect Classrooms
The 17th Civil Engineer Squadron employed a different approach to disinfecting classrooms at Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas. Taking extra precautions for their own safety, Omar Martinez and Walter Miller, members of the civil engineer squadron, used fog machines to disinfect classroom surfaces at the school-age program and the Child Development Center.
Sanctions on Iranian Entities Involved in Chemical Weapons Activities of Concern--US STATE DEPT
Justice Department Settles with Amtrak to Resolve Disability Discrimination Across its Intercity Rail System
The Justice Department today announced that it reached an agreement with Amtrak, the National Railroad Passenger Corporation, to resolve the department’s findings of disability discrimination in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Under the agreement Amtrak will fix inaccessible stations and pay $2.25 million to victims hurt by its inaccessible stations.--DOJ
BUSINESS & FINANCE HEADLINES:
U.S. Law Enforcement Takes Action Against Approximately 2,300 Money Mules In Global Crackdown On Money Laundering
Department of Justice and Partner Agencies Stop the Flow of Fraud Proceeds--DOJ
Federal Reserve Board announces members of its Insurance Policy Advisory Committee.
The Federal Reserve Board on Thursday announced seven members, including three new members, of its Insurance Policy Advisory Committee, or IPAC. The members will serve three-year terms beginning in 2021.
https://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/pressreleases/bcreg20201203a.htm
National Tax Security Awareness Week, Day 4: Security Summit urges businesses to tighten security, offers new protections against identity theft--IRS
IRS to employers: Remember February 1, 2021 deadline for Form W-2, other wage statements.
CONTINUING COVERAGE OF THE ELECTION FRAUD CASE:
WHISTLEBLOWER: I Drove 'Thousands of Ballots' From New York to Pennsylvania--PJ MEDIA
Trump Doubles Down on a Stolen Election
The president laid out a passionate and detailed case against voter fraud.--The Patriot Post
https://patriotpost.us/articles/76190-trump-doubles-down-on-a-stolen-election-2020-12-03
Related video from White House brief
https://www.facebook.com/whitehousebrief/videos/130485788662769
Sen. Graham to Trump Legal Team: 'You Gotta Prove' Election Fraud Claims--NEWS MAX
https://www.newsmax.com/politics/graham-trump-evidence-fraud/2020/12/03/id/999850/
TODAY'S VIDEO:
Georgia Senate Oversight Committee Holds Hearing On Election Integrity
WATCH: Georgia Senate Government Oversight Committee holds a hearing on the integrity of their state's elections during the 2020 election
Stream c/o Right Side Broadcasting
https://www.facebook.com/TheDCAmericaUncensored/videos/427797894899906
John 6:35 (New King James Version)
And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.
