This bill aims to standardize the basic training and certification requirements for long-term care workers providing in-home care for their family members, including spouses and domestic partners. It amends existing laws, specifically RCW 18.88B.041 and 74.39A.076, to clarify the exemptions from certification for certain long-term care workers. Notably, the bill introduces new language that specifies that long-term care workers providing in-home care for their child, parent, sibling, aunt, uncle, cousin, niece, nephew, grandparent, grandchild, spouse, or domestic partner are exempt from certification requirements under certain conditions. Additionally, it allows these workers to complete training and certification examinations without fulfilling all previous training requirements.

The bill also outlines specific training requirements for long-term care workers, including 12 hours of training for parents of developmentally disabled children and 15 hours for spouses or domestic partners providing care. It mandates that long-term care workers must complete a total of 35 hours of training within the first 120 days of employment, with specific hours dedicated to orientation and safety training. Furthermore, the bill allows for flexibility in training completion during emergencies, such as pandemics or natural disasters, and requires the department to adopt rules for implementation and compliance monitoring.

Statutes affected:
Original Bill: 18.88B.041, 74.39A.076