Governor signs Food Production Workers Paid Leave Proclamation

BREWSTER – The surge in coronavirus cases that made this hub of fruit production in Okanogan County the state’s latest COVID-19 hot zone was dramatic enough to prompt a visit by Governor Jay Inslee last Thursday, August 13. While in Brewster Inslee met with community, tribal and county leaders and underscored the need for residents to wear protective face coverings and maintain social distancing to reverse the rising incidence of COVID cases in the county.

Figures from the state DOH as of August 14 show Brewster accounting for more than 500 of Okanogan County’s 900-plus COVID cases and five of the county’s eight deaths from the disease.

The visit coincided with the governor’s signing of the Washington COVID-19 Food Production Paid Leave Program to provide paid sick leave to agricultural workers facing mandatory quarantine with coronavirus infection.

“The program provides a $3 million fund to support workers in the food production industry who are unable to obtain leave through the Families First Coronavirus Response Act,” said a media release from the governor’s office. “These workers are often ineligible for other forms of paid leave, even when exposed to COVID-19.”

Inslee’s latest proclamations amend and extend the earlier state of emergency declared on Feb. 29 for all counties throughout the state.

“We must support every family affected by the virus, especially those who lack the necessary means to quarantine or isolate and prevent further spread,” Inslee said.

The governor also announced the extension of a March 18 proclamation that waives or suspends restrictions on truck driver hours through Sept. 14. The driver hours are applicable to delivery of emergency supplies related to medical supplies, livestock feed, items needed for public safety, and food restocking.

The Paid Leave Proclamation includes a recital itemizing the incremental rise of COVID cases from June 13 (25,538 with 1,213 deaths), through July 13 (41,757 - 1,399 deaths), and August 12 (64,702 – 1,724 deaths).

Another provision of the proclamation addresses “essential workers and workplaces to prohibit any food production employer from continuing to operate between August 18, 2020, and November 13, 2020, unless the food production employer provides its workers with emergency supplemental paid sick leave for a qualifying event…”

The proclamation defines qualifying events, covered employers, covered workers, paid leave and other provisions, and activates the state militia to assist with implementation of the proclamation where it is deemed applicable.

Both the Food Production Workers Paid Leave Proclamation, effective August 18, and the governor’s proclamation amending and extending the State of Emergency and truck driver hours, signed on August 12, can be found in their entirety online at governor.wa.gov.