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Board policies direct activities in the following areas:
Interns have up to 5 years to gain experience for licensure as a funeral director or embalmer. If an intern registers and renews annually, their registration won't be renewed after the expiration date of their fifth license.
If a registered intern doesn't renew their registration and then reapplies as an intern, their experience will be calculated based on the number of years they were registered and active as an intern, not to exceed 5 years of cumulative experience.
All fees to maintain their registration in good standing are applicable during their registration period.
Washington State Funeral and Cemetery Board, 1/25/2011
WAC 308-49-170(2) Annual statement requirements
The board waives the need for a balance sheet and a profit and loss statement to be filed with the annual report for funeral establishments.
This policy will be implemented no later than July 1, 2014 and will be in effect until such time as the board formally adopts administrative rules.
Washington State Funeral and Cemetery Board, 5/6/2014
RCW 18.39.175: Board - Duties and responsibilities - Rules
The Continuing Education Policy adopted by the Funeral and Cemetery Board in November 2011 replaces all of the requirements outlined in WAC 308-48-350 AIDS prevention and information education requirements.
POL 175-2 Washington State Funeral and Cemetery Board, 8/14/2012
RCW 18.39.035: Applicant for license as a funeral director or embalmer - Eligibility
If a licensing applicant fails to complete the licensing process and his/her records show no activity for 5 consecutive years, the board will consider the application abandoned. No activity includes, but isn't limited to:
POL 35-2 Washington State Funeral and Cemetery Board, 8/14/2012
RCW 18.39.175: Board - Duties and responsibilities - Rules
The board adopts the requirements outlined below to meet the statutory professional development 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 professional development requirements until such time as the board formally adopts administrative rules on these standards.
Former requirement | Policy adopted 11/15/11 |
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10 hours of PDH are needed every 2 years as a condition of license renewal. WAC 308-48-530 (1) |
5 hours of PDH are needed every year as a condition of license renewal. This aligns the PDH 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, they must submit 10 hours of PDH. If the license has lapsed for over 1 year, the licensee must present evidence of completing at least 10 hours of approved PDH 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, they must submit 5 hours of PDH. If the license has lapsed for over 1 year, the licensee must present evidence of completing at least 10 hours of qualifying PDH for the 2-year period prior to his/her reinstatement. This aligns the PDH reporting to the actual renewal period (1 year). |
If the licensee doesn't submit evidence of completion of 10 hours of PDH for the last renewal period, his/her license won't be renewed. WAC 308-48-530 (3) |
When licensees renew, they attest they have completed their PDH as a condition of their renewal. If an audit shows they failed to complete the PDH, or had inappropriate PDH, the licensee may have to make up the hours and may face disciplinary action. This change asks:
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Licensees shall submit an affidavit certifying compliance with the PDH requirement with their renewal fee every 2 years. WAC 308-48-550 |
Licensees shall submit an affidavit certifying compliance with the PDH requirement for the previous year when they renew their licenses. This aligns the PDH reporting to the actual renewal period (1 year). |
Licensees must maintain the evidence of their PDH, and have it available for inspection at their place of employment. WAC 308-48-560 |
Licensees must keep their PDH records for the current renewal cycle, plus the previous 2 renewal cycles (3 years total). This identifies a time period for PDH record retention. |
Licensees must have at least 4 PDH hours in AIDS education. WAC 308-48-350 |
Licensees must participate in one hour of OSHA/WISHA* training annually. This replaces the obsolete AIDS education requirement with annual OSHA/WISHA training.* |
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This change:
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First PDH documentation is needed 2 years after initial licensure. WAC 308-48-520 |
No 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. |
PDH 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. |
The board can waive all or part of a licensee's PDH requirement for specific cause, with verification from the licensee. WAC 308-48-570 |
No change. |
PDH activities must contribute directly to the professional competency of the licensee and be conducted by reputable trainers. WAC 308-48-590 |
No change. |
*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
RCW 68.50.160: Right to control disposition of remains
The board clarifies that the right for consumers to change providers (contract portability) isn't 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
The board adopts the following definitions for the purpose of financial examination:
Washington State Funeral and Cemetery Board, 8/23/2011
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
If the scattering of remains is offered at no cost, no endowment should be collected. If there is a cost associated with the scattering, even if it is waived by the cemetery, then endowment should be collected.
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:
Washington State Funeral and Cemetery Board, 8/10/2010
Funeral Establishments are subject to several state and federal laws requiring procedures for safe handling of human remains. The Occupational Safety and Health Standards Administration (OSHA) requires employers to have a written Exposure Control Plan if their employees have exposure to potentially infectious materials. The information contained in this plan is established by OSHA 1910.1030, which also defines human remains as potentially infectious materials. Chapter 246-500 WAC contains further requirements for handling of human remains. Because staff employed by funeral establishments have occupational exposure to human remains, the Funeral & Cemetery Board requires all funeral establishments to comply with OSHA and WAC standards. Failure of a funeral establishment to comply with state and federal standards is considered a violation of professional conduct under RCW 18.39.410 and RCW 18.235.130 and may result in sanctions.
The Funeral and Cemetery Board will allow an unlicensed individual to open cremation containers and unwrap human remains prior to cremation, for the sole purpose of making final identification. If any action beyond identification is required, that action must be performed by a properly licensed individual.
Washington State Funeral and Cemetery Board, 6/11/2013
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
RCW 18.39.045: College course requirements
The board recognizes the following college course subject categories as meeting the educational requirements outlined in RCW 18.39.045.
(Subjects with ** can apply as both a Social Science and a Behavioral Science course.)
Washington State Funeral and Cemetery Board, 11/6/2012. Policy 18.39.045-1
The intern/sponsor relationship is between individuals, not between an individual and a business entity. Therefore WAC(1) 308-45-200 is clarified as follows:
The responsibility for notifying the director, Department of licensing of internship registration and termination rests with the sponsor. In order to protect the status of the intern in cases where the employing licensee fails to initiate the required report of registration or termination, the affected intern should initiate and ensure submission of same. The notification shall be certified by signature of the sponsor.
Washington State Funeral and Cemetery Board, 11/6/2012. Policy 18.39.035-3
The board shall consider the embalming of at least 25 human remains during a 2-year training course under the supervision of a licensed embalmer to satisfy the requirement under RCW 18.39.035.
Washington State Funeral and Cemetery Board, 11/6/2012. Policy 18.39.035-3
The board recognizes the following tasks provide interns the appropriate experience to assist in obtaining licensure as a funeral director or embalmer, and expects interns to complete these activities at a minimum during the course of the internship
The board also recognizes that sponsors have responsibilities to provide meaningful evaluation during the internship and will ensure their interns also meet these expectations:
Washington State Funeral and Cemetery Board, 11/6/2012, revised 8/5/14