Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell. (AP File Photo/Elaine Thompson)
(SEATTLE, Wash.) — Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell has ordered that the state of emergency that has been in place since the beginning of the pandemic will end on October 31st, the same day Washington’s state of emergency ends.
This means certain COVID-era policies are due to expire. Among them:
- Requirements for property owners to negotiate payment plans to limit evictions will expire six months after the end of the emergency.
- Premium pay for food delivery workers will end November 1.
- Paid sick time for food delivery and transportation workers will end six months after the end of the emergency, though additional protections under state law will begin on January 1.
“Our city has been working under an emergency proclamation for nearly 1,000 days as we responded to a new pandemic and unprecedented resulting challenges,” Mayor Harrell said in a statement. “We will continue to follow the recommendations of public health experts and science leaders to support the safety and well-being of our communities.”
Despite the emergency proclamation ending, the vaccine requirement for city employees, volunteers, and contractors will continue.
