Washington's Work From Home Rule Set for Final Hearing in January

Washington State's Department of Licensing has been diligently working on a work-from-home solution for its collection agency licensees since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. What was initially a temporary emergency rule—passed in June of this year—is now set for a final hearing to determine whether the temporary rule will be made permanent. The rule would relax branch licensing requirements to licensee employees who are working remotely from home. The hearing is set for January 5, 2021.

After its initial enactment, the emergency rule was set to expire this Fall. The Department of Licensing's Collection Agency Board extended the rule through February 17, 2021. If approved at the January 5 hearing, the rule would become permanent.

The hearing will be virtual and open to the public, so readers should add it to their calendars if interested. The hearing information is below: