(1) Unless exempt from training as described in WAC 388-71-0839 or WAC 388-112A-0090, a long-term care worker affected by the COVID-19 public health emergency must complete training, including required specialty training, as follows:

(2) Unless exempt from certification as described in WAC 246-980-025, a worker affected by the COVID-19 public health emergency who is required to be certified as a home care aide must obtain certification as follows:

(3) "Hired" and "rehired" as used in this section mean the date of hire as defined in chapter 246-980 WAC. A long-term care worker is considered rehired if they held previous employment as a long-term care worker and did not have an active home care aide credential when hired during the time frames outlined in section (1) of this section.

(4) If a long-term care worker is limited-English proficient, the worker may request an additional 60 days to obtain certification.

(5) Nothing in this section prevents a long-term care worker hired between 11/17/2019 and 3/31/2022 from completing training or obtaining certification in advance of the deadlines stipulated in subsections (1) or (2) of this section.

(1) The department finds that long-term care workers employed during the COVID-19 pandemic between March 1, 2020, and February 28, 2021, required emergent and intensive on-the-job training. Long-term care workers received critical, ongoing training in such topics as:

(a) Donning and doffing personal protective equipment (PPE);

(b) Hand hygiene;

(c) Disinfection of high-touch surfaces;

(d) Managing visitations and physical distancing;

(e) Responding to newly infected residents;

(f) Promotion of vaccination;

(g) Protocols for quarantine;

(h) Use of cloth face coverings;

(i) Personal protection outside of the work environment; and

(j) How to reduce exposure and spread.

(2) This on-the-job training was required of all workers in all long-term care environments in Washington state. Instruction was provided in assisted living facilities, adult family homes, homecare agencies, enhanced services facilities, certified community residential services, and to individual providers by the SEIU775 benefits group and DSHS to discuss infection control and the availability and distribution of personal protective equipment. Recognition of this training as a valid learning experience, in its various forms, was agreed upon with input from consumer and worker representatives, as the content was based on guidelines established by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and other federal, state, and local health care authorities.

(3) During this time, long-term care workers required ongoing critical training because guidance from the CDC, department of labor and industries, and other health authorities changed as more was learned about the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The department finds that this unprecedented on-the-job training comprised of at least 12 hours of continuing education between March 1, 2020, and February 28, 2021, and that this training is not considered to be repeated training as described in WAC 388-112A-0600(2).

(4) All long-term care workers employed during the dates in section (3) of this section are granted 12 hours of DSHS-approved continuing education credit for the training entitled "COVID-19 On-The-Job Training Protocols," bearing the DSHS approval code CE2135218. No physical certificate for this training will be issued or required. The hours must be applied as any other continuing education hours and to a single renewal period as provided in chapter 246-12 WAC.

(5) The department recognizes that long-term care workers may not have completed training hours in excess of the 12 hours of CE granted in section (4) of this section due to the COVID-19 public health emergency. All long-term care workers shall have 120 days from the end of the public health emergency to complete any additional CE that may have become due while training waivers were in place in excess of the 12 hours of CE granted in section (4) of this section.

(1) Unless exempt from training as described in WAC 388-71-0839 or WAC 388-112A-0090, a long-term care worker affected by the COVID-19 public health emergency must complete training, including required specialty training, as follows:

(2) Unless exempt from certification as described in WAC 246-980-025, a worker affected by the COVID-19 public health emergency who is required to be certified as a home care aide must obtain certification as follows:

(3) "Hired" and "rehired" as used in this section mean the date of hire as defined in chapter 246-980 WAC. A long-term care worker is considered rehired if they held previous employment as a long-term care worker and did not have an active home care aide credential when hired during the time frames outlined in section (1) of this section.

(4) If a long-term care worker is limited-English proficient, the worker may request an additional 60 days to obtain certification.

(5) Nothing in this section prevents a long-term care worker hired between 11/17/2019 and 3/31/2022 from completing training or obtaining certification in advance of the deadlines stipulated in subsections (1) or (2) of this section.

(1) The department finds that long-term care workers employed during the COVID-19 pandemic between March 1, 2020, and February 28, 2021, required emergent and intensive on-the-job training. Long-term care workers received critical, ongoing training in such topics as:

(a) Donning and doffing personal protective equipment (PPE);

(b) Hand hygiene;

(c) Disinfection of high-touch surfaces;

(d) Managing visitations and physical distancing;

(e) Responding to newly infected residents;

(f) Promotion of vaccination;

(g) Protocols for quarantine;

(h) Use of cloth face coverings;

(i) Personal protection outside of the work environment; and

(j) How to reduce exposure and spread.

(2) This on-the-job training was required of all workers in all long-term care environments in Washington state. Instruction was provided in assisted living facilities, adult family homes, homecare agencies, enhanced services facilities, certified community residential services, and to individual providers by the SEIU775 benefits group and DSHS to discuss infection control and the availability and distribution of personal protective equipment. Recognition of this training as a valid learning experience, in its various forms, was agreed upon with input from consumer and worker representatives, as the content was based on guidelines established by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and other federal, state, and local health care authorities.

(3) During this time, long-term care workers required ongoing critical training because guidance from the CDC, department of labor and industries, and other health authorities changed as more was learned about the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The department finds that this unprecedented on-the-job training comprised of at least 12 hours of continuing education between March 1, 2020, and February 28, 2021, and that this training is not considered to be repeated training as described in WAC 388-112A-0600(2).

(4) All long-term care workers employed during the dates in section (3) of this section are granted 12 hours of DSHS-approved continuing education credit for the training entitled "COVID-19 On-The-Job Training Protocols," bearing the DSHS approval code CE2135218. No physical certificate for this training will be issued or required. The hours must be applied as any other continuing education hours and to a single renewal period as provided in chapter 246-12 WAC.

(5) The department recognizes that long-term care workers may not have completed training hours in excess of the 12 hours of CE granted in section (4) of this section due to the COVID-19 public health emergency. All long-term care workers shall have 120 days from the end of the public health emergency to complete any additional CE that may have become due while training waivers were in place in excess of the 12 hours of CE granted in section (4) of this section.