Policies: Funeral and Cemetery Board

5-year limit for funeral director and embalmer interns

Registration as an intern for funeral director interns and embalmer interns will not be renewed after the expiration date of their fifth license.

All fees to maintain their registration in good standing are applicable during their registration period.

Washington State Funeral and Cemetery Board, 1/25/2011

Continuing education requirements

RCW 18.39.175: Board — Duties and responsibilities — Rules

The board adopts the requirements outlined below to meet the statutory continuing education requirement for renewing licenses for funeral directors, embalmers, funeral director interns and embalmer interns.

This policy will be implemented no later than July 1, 2012 and will govern continuing education requirements until such time as the board formally adopts administrative rules on these standards.

  • To maintain active practice, licensees must accumulate 5 hours of continuing education hours (CE) for the upcoming 1-year renewal period.
  • The CE accumulated is subject to audit by the board.
  • Licensees are responsible to seek out qualifying activities that can be demonstrated to the board as relevant to professional development.
    • Activities are not preapproved by the board.
    • Activities must be relevant to the practice of funeral directing (for licensed funeral directors and funeral director interns) or embalming (for licensed embalmers and embalmer interns) and may include technical, ethical or managerial content.
    • All activities must have a clear purpose and objective that will maintain, improve or expand skills and knowledge relevant to the practice of the profession(s).
  • The board is the final authority with respect to claimed qualifying activities and the respective CE credit.
  • The qualifying activity becomes eligible for credit upon completion of the given activity.
  • Licensees must maintain the records of the continuing education activities. The records must include the date of the activity, the provider’s name, a description of activity and its location and the number of CE.
  • Licensees must keep their records for the cumulative time in the current renewal period plus the 2 years before the last renewal (3 years total).
  • By renewing a professional funeral director license, embalmer license, funeral director intern license or embalmer intern license, the licensee attests he/she has completed the required continuing education for that renewal period.
  • The board will audit a random sample of licensees yearly. If a licensee is selected for an audit, the board will provide instructions about how to respond.
  • Licensees may face disciplinary action for failing to complete the continuing education requirement or falsifying CE records.
  • If an audit disqualifies credits that a licensee reported to the board and results in him/her failing to complete the CE requirements, the board may require the shortage to be made up over a period of time established by the board.
Former requirement Policy adopted 11/15/11 Change
10 hours of CE are needed every 2 years as a condition of license renewal.
WAC 308-48-530 (1)		 5 hours of CE are needed every year as a condition of license renewal. Aligns the CE reporting to the actual renewal period (1 year). The total number of hours per year is unchanged.
If a licensee’s license has lapsed for less than 1 year, he/she must submit 10 hours of CE. If the license has lapsed for over 1 year, the licensee must present evidence of completing at least 10 hours of approved CE for the 2-year period prior to his/her reinstatement.
WAC 308-48-540		 If a licensee’s license has lapsed for less than 1 year, he/she must submit 5 hours of CE. If the license has lapsed for over 1 year, the licensee must present evidence of completing at least 10 hours of qualifying CE for the 2-year period prior to his/her reinstatement. Aligns the CE reporting to the actual renewal period (1 year).
If the licensee doesn’t submit evidence of completion of 10 hours of CE for the last renewal period, his/her license will not be renewed.
WAC 308-48-530 (3)		 When licensees renew, they attest they have completed their CE as a condition of their renewal. If an audit shows they failed to complete the CE, or had inappropriate CE, the licensee may have to make up the hours and may face disciplinary action.
  • Asks licensees to certify their CE upon renewal, e.g., “By renewing of my license to practice as a Professional Funeral Director, I affirm I have complied with the requirements for continuing education as provided in RCW X and WAC X.”
  • Asks for evidence of CE upon random audit.
Licensees shall submit an affidavit certifying compliance with the CE requirement with their renewal fee every 2 years.
WAC 308-48-550		 Licensees shall submit an affidavit certifying compliance with the CE requirement for the previous year when they renew their licenses. Aligns the CE reporting to the actual renewal period (1 year).
Licensees must maintain the evidence of their CE, and have it available for inspection at their place of employment.
WAC 308-48-560		 Licensees must keep their CE records for the current renewal cycle, plus the previous 2 renewal cycles (3 years total). Identifies a time period for CE record retention.
Licensees must have at least 4 CE hours in AIDS education.
WAC 308-48-350		 Licensees must participate in one hour of OSHA/WISHA* training annually. Replaces the obsolete AIDS education requirement with annual OSHA/WISHA training.*
  • Licensees must submit CE activities to the board for approval before participating in the activity.
  • The board must pre-approve a licensee’s CE activities and certify the number of CE hours awarded for participation.
WAC 308-48-580 and WAC 308-48-600
  • Board staff does not pre-approve CE activities.
  • Board staff will provide guidance about how to document the CE activities.
  • Board staff will evaluate the activities on random audit after the licensee has renewed.
  • With the exception of the annual OSHA/WISHA* training, puts the responsibility of deciding appropriate activities on the licensee.
  • Allows the licensee to participate in CE activities without waiting for approval.
First CE documentation is needed 2 years after initial licensure.
WAC 308-48-520		 No language change.
 
Note: Licenses are issued when an applicant meets all licensing requirements. However, the first renewal is the licensee’s next birthday, meaning the first license period may be slightly more or less than a year.		 None.
 
Note: Licensees become eligible for random audit after their second year of licensure, ensuring they will have at least 1 full year to gain CE activities.
CE credits in excess of 10 hours earned in any renewal period may not be carried forward to another renewal period.
WAC 308-48-530 (2)		 No change. None.
The board can waive all or part of a licensee’s CE requirement for specific cause, with verification from the licensee.
WAC 308-48-570		 No change. None.
CE activities must contribute directly to the professional competency of the licensee and be conducted by reputable trainers.
WAC 308-48-590		 No change. None.

*Occupational Safety and Health Administration/Washington Industrial Safety and Health Act (OSHA/WISHA) training includes sections on blood-borne pathogens, formaldehyde standards, hazard communications, personal protective equipment, respirator use, etc.

Washington State Funeral and Cemetery Board, 11/15/2011

Contract portability

RCW 68.50.160: Right to control disposition of remains

The board clarifies that the right for consumers to change providers (contract portability) is not the same as the “place and method of disposition,” as defined in RCW 68.50.160. Licensees must permit the release of human remains to another provider if requested by a decedent’s family, even though a prearrangement contract exists.

Washington State Funeral and Cemetery Board, 8/23/2011

Defining capital gains and income

The board adopts the following definitions for the purpose of financial examination:

  • Capital gains means principal.
  • Income includes “earnings” from other endowment care investments, especially in mixed investment situations.

Washington State Funeral and Cemetery Board, 8/23/2011

Eliminating off-setting

Effective immediately, the board eliminates the practice of off-setting deposits against withdrawals. Deposits must be made not later than the 20th day of the month following receipt of each payment due.

Washington State Funeral and Cemetery Board, 8/23/2011

Fee collection for funeral director and embalmer interns

Funeral director interns or embalmer interns who were registered on or before September 28, 2007 and have not qualified as an exempt intern shall have the following apply:

  • If the internship registration expires between September 28, 2011 and June 27, 2012, the full renewal fee applies.
  • If the internship registration expires between June 28, 2012 and September 28, 2012, the intern is exempt from paying a renewal fee.

This policy will expire after September 29, 2012.

Washington State Funeral and Cemetery Board, 1/25/2011

Funeral establishment advertising

RCW 18.235.130: Unprofessional Conduct — Acts or conditions that constitute

The Board doesn’t consider the use of P.O. Box numbers in funeral establishment advertising as:

  1. False, deceptive or misleading advertising
  2. Constituting unprofessional conduct

Washington State Funeral and Cemetery Board, 8/10/2010

Military training or experience

RCW 18.39.570: Military training or experience

The board will evaluate applicants with military training or experience on a case by case basis to determine if the experience/training meets the licensing requirements.

Washington State Funeral and Cemetery Board, 1/10/2012

 

 

 

 

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