Ongoing travel restrictions and advisories, both local and cross-border, continue to dominate work life, and life in general. But with Covid-19 immunization programs rolling out across North America, many writers attending the spring meeting of ASJA Pacific Northwest had either received a first vaccine or had vaccinations in the works.
Among the issues discussed at the meeting, held March 17, were proposed changes to U.S. federal labor regulations that, if approved, would affect how self-employed workers do business. The PRO Act (Protecting the Right to Organize), would impose the same restrictive criteria federally as those used in recent changes to California labor laws to distinguish between employees and independent contractors. Writers are concerned about how the legislation, as written, could affect their ability to accept assignments, retain copyright, and deduct business expenses.
In member news this month:
- Oregon writer Michelle V. Rafter is ghostwriting a 25,000-word business book, her first book-length assignment since her recent transition to working primarily as a ghostwriter. Michelle is also judging ASJA annual writing awards, in the B2B article/blog post category.
- Also among the judges for ASJA’s 2021 awards are two writers in Washington: Bruce Miller in Seattle (technical articles) and Joanna Nesbit in Bellingham (how-to articles).
- Seattle writer Haley Shapley is promoting her book on the evolution of women and physical strength, which came out last spring, and looking forward to the return of in-person author events. Strong Like Her: A Celebration of Rule Breakers, History Makers, and Unstoppable Athletes was in published April 2020 by Simon & Schuster’s Gallery Books imprint.
ASJA members attending the March 17 meeting: Maxine Cass, Fred Gebhart, Catherine Kolonko, M. Carolyn Miller, Bruce Miller, Joanna Nesbit, Haley Shapley, Randy Stapilus, Darlene West, Minda Zetlin