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Are Clerical Workers in Construction considered Essential

I work in Accounts Receivable for a painting contractor in Washington. My boss has called for everyone to come back to work, but my work doesn’t seem to be classified as “critical” and Governor Inslee has not called construction essential, nor lifted the Stay Home Order. Do I have to return to work? If so, what are my options as we are in a small office and can’t distance the necessary six feet.

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Apr 27, 2020

On April 24th, Governor Inslee eliminated some of the restrictions for construction businesses through Proclaimation 20-25: Implementation of Phase 1 restart. But, construction businesses can still only work in limited situations and where the minimum 6 feet distancing requirements can be maintained. Plus, it seems like this proclamation will only apply to site work. And, office work that's done off-site won't automatically be permitted simply because site work can move forward. This would seem especially true in an office where the 6-foot distancing rules cannot be followed since even on-site work must follow those requirements. If you'll be returning to the office, then requesting a written plan for obeying distancing guidelines will be a good step. If the employer can't or won't provide that, it should be a red flag. Or, requesting to limit your time in the office, to stagger with other workers, or to perform your work remotely could be useful, too. While being in the office might make it easier to run the books, it should be possible to come up with a workable remote-work plan. Finally, if your employer is insistent about working in the office and if they're out of line with the governor's guidance - you can always report the violation here: Violations of the Governor’s Proclamation. In fact, merely threatening to report violations might be enough. To keep up with where work can continue, this tracker from Levelset should be useful: Can I do Construction Work In my State?

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