I turned down a high paying signing this morning. Escrow co. called and said they have had several notaries cancel this particular signing because the signers have not been vaccinated and they refuse to wear masks. Has anyone else experienced this?
Yea I’m vaccinated and I practice safe precautions when going into anyone’s home so it doesn’t bother me I’ll take the work.
I haven’t had that happened. I am seeing more
Covid attestation forms in the packages. I do notarize the vax and the unvax, mask and no mask folk. I do not know who is vaccinated or not but I can see if someone seems to be having symptoms. I would refuse and reschedule immediately if the signer is sick with symptoms, especially Covid. A month ago I waited 14 days for a signer to recover from Covid. He tested positive on the date of signing and let me know. I honestly think his wife was positive at the signing as she was super sweaty and symptomatic appearing but she wore two masks and we kept distance they kept pens, ect. She was also 8 months pregnant and had a 2 year old with her. I washed my hands right after. In my county most do put on their mask especially if they see me in a mask at the door. I do not force anyone to wear a mask unless they were coughing and seeming sick I’d follow up and request a mask or provide them with one.
The mask indoor order is in place here in WA starting this week for everyone not sure how that extends to homes or how it’s enforced. Some of my appointments lately have been outside which is nice. The appointment I just finished — she was vaccinated but sick, coughing said it wasn’t Covid as she tested for it and she did wear her mask and so did the husband. I wore my mask too. And sanitized my hands in the car afterwards. The cases have gone up in my county, it’s still lower than many of the other states. Hopefully they start to drop again, I’m getting real tired of all this.
My rule is safety first. I use other professionals as my example. Medical professionals all wear PPE and require the Public to mask. It’s about potential exposure for me. I am not risking getting exposed nor do I want to be blamed for being a carrier and exposing someone (Since we now know vaccinated or unvaccinated you can catch and spread). So my rule has been I wear a mask at all times and always an N95 and I wear gloves. I prefer outdoors if possible. I always ask everyone to wear a mask if we are indoors and for the signing location to be well ventilated. I usually do not have any problems. I don’t ask vaccination status because I don’t care. My concern is are they, the kids running around the house, the house cleaner, grandma, the dog, the family friend…whoever…Covid negative on the day I show up. If that can’t be an absolute “No”…then “we are vaccinated” doesn’t mean anything to me. I had a woman who told me after I showed up that although she was fully vaccinated a couple of weeks prior she was sick and found out she had Covid. She didn’t know at first where she caught it but upon talking to her fully vaccinated girlfriends she found out they all were sick too but unlike her none of them went to the doctor. So they blamed each other. SMH so to stay out of that kind of spreading event…masks please. THANK YOU!
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I actually note in my profile that I am vaccinated, wear a mask and ask my clients to wear mask. They’re not paying me enough to be able to afford to self isolate for 10 days. I will also ask in the first call to the client if they are comfortable with this. If they say no I will not do the signing. If they say yes I will let them know that if they don’t do this while I am there that I will just leave, it’s not up for discussion with me. Its a very heated debate that I will not get into. But I have a right to stand up for what I believe is a reasonable request.
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Hi Irina ~ I’m also in WA State and I set the ground rules when I confirm appointment. If signers do not want to wear masks, I contact contractor and advise will not accept signing for those reasons. Only happened once. I live in Kitsap County where infection rate is not has high as King and Pierce Counties, but infection threat is always around. I’m 72 and take precautions and have been signing since COVID outbreak started. Approx. 1 week ago 60 Minutes special on tv discussed new vaccination not just for COVID but also for other future outbreaks that won’t be named COVID because those diseases are already in existence in other countries. Forget the boosters ~ I want that vaccine. In the interim, need to CYA because no one else will. Be safe.
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In King County it is rare someone isn’t wearing their mask, at least Seattle area. It is also the start of flu season so I think it will also help prevent catching the flu. Do you offer disposable masks if they don’t put theirs on?
It’s not just masks but also judging conditions. One appointment I went to this man’s home, he wore his mask shows me his card but his home conditions I couldn’t enter. Well I entered and exited I let him know respectfully if we can sign outside, so we sat on his front door steps. The house smoke was so heavy I could not breathe. Also it was extremely dirty, dark with stuff everywhere. I haven’t seen a mess like this before that I would worry for catching MRSA or something else if I signed there. He was nice, a vet, old fashioned to where he didn’t even have an email address. This lender was actually doing him a huge favor by offering the deal they did. He had not so good credit and his current rate was close to 6% and this lender was reducing it to high 2s. It was a good deal for him and I know this would be important for him financially even tho I obviously didn’t say my opinion out loud. In any case, I’m glad we made it work out!
I do carry a box of disposable masks for those that can’t seem to find their masks at signing. Doesn’t happen too often. Confession time ~ I look up property on Kitsap County Assessor’s site and view photo of property. Usually can tell if it is a nice place or scum bucket place and wear old clothes. Doesn’t always work ~ went to a really nice home on photo and signers were husband and wife nurses and they had a child. Place was filthy. Garbage running over can onto floor, stuff tossed all over floor, dirty dishes sky high in sinks and all over counters. Dinning table had sticky syrup all over where we signing. I offered to clean off table and they said No. I carry 8.5x11 cardstock in my brief case for just these type of occasions. Spready all over table so we could sign. When I got up to leave my backside stuck to chair. Gross!!
I am going to a signing today where I’ve left 5 vms with no reply. I saw signers Facebook page because the first phone number given was wrong and I had to search google for a good number. He was an anti vaxxer. I’m vaccinated and in my 70s. If he won’t wear a mask I’m gone. Not worth my life. If you guys wanna take that chance, that’s your decision but no amount of money would justify my being sick.
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COVID is still rampant in many areas. I have been doing signings since before COVID began but I’m very careful and I’m 72. I don’t take needless risks and we need to take care of ourselves. We are just a number and the next healthy body will replace us if we go down. It’s not personal it’s business and that is how it is. What ticks me off is we are taking risks and continue to see lowball fees broadcasted. This will only make more NSA’s get out of the business.
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I agree that some fees are insulting. I am retired and see offers for signings for 50 and $60. Not worth it. Fortunately, this is not my major way of earning money. I am a bit rural and used to get reasonable pay but recently there is a newbie taking cheap Signings. It’s annoying, but maybe they need the money more than I do. I am also starting to see many more scan backs then before. When you are rural, that’s a lot of miles. Not traveling 100 miles for $80.Let that other Notary do it.Fortunately I have a couple of companies who contact me directly and pay reasonable fees. Sometimes, experience counts
Thank you. I’m adding the vaccination/mask question to my initial call. I haven’t had any issues. The ones who don’t want to wear the mask always ask me for my preference. I am fully vaccinated and boosted. I maintain distance (even in masks) and they keep the pens.
Hi everyone ~ noticed this older post from 2021 regarding masks. Today is May 1, 2022 and I’m still wearing a mask. Personal decision as everything is in life. Noticed there has been an increase in cases and hospitalizations in many areas with new virus variant but there are also increases in flu virus and other unnamed illnesses. High School in Bremerton WA has closed down and gone back to online classes. Bremerton WA is part of Kitsap County WA. Missed out on investing in those markets that produces masks and hand sanitizers. Wonder how the attendees of the White House Press party is a spreader event 
I always wear my mask and give each signer their own pen to use and keep. I had a signer that was almost offended that I had gloves on. I shared with them that I do this to protect them from the last client I had just met with and to protect the next client I meet.
I don’t understand the offense… she said she was vaccinated and was not worried I then went on to say it was a requirement by the company that hired me to take all necessary precautions and I am required to comply.
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I keep my N95 mask and gloves on. I don’t care how many vaccines and booster shots a client boasts about. I go into people’s houses with kids running around coughing and sneezing…grandma coughing…signers who “claim” to have just gotten over Covid 3 days prior, etc. All kinds and too many scenarios that can risk exposure. NOT taking a risk for any of the strangers I encounter each day. I don’t want to catch & carry. Not taking on liability of accidentally carrying it to someone who gets sick and worse dies. No one knows how they will respond if they catch the virus. No vaccine can guarantee anything. So I keep a mask on and sanitize. True story…I’m sitting with a guys signing his loan documents in a very confined business location. His phone rings and he answers it. He starts a conversation while still signing and during his conversation he tells the person on the line that he got sick with Covid last week! I’m in shock…HE NEVER TOLD ME when I called and confirmed our appointment (last week). So I’m angry now…the only thing that gave me slight comfort is that I had my mask and gloves on and when he asked if I would like for him to wear a mask, I said yes…but I still thought to myself the air in this tight work space is filled with his Covid virus. Not great thoughts but is what keeps me in a mask. Be safe out there! The uptick is happening because people have become relaxed, mask mandates lifted and too dependent on a vaccine & nonstop boosters.
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How awful… he got sick with Covid and is out and about in pubic?
Do you have any idea how many people ARE? Seriously, I’d bet half the people in the grocery store that I run into are infected - and mask wearing is not a priority down here any more. (BTW, I still wear my mask at the stores, which is about the only place I go to these days).
My thought on it is “I don’t know you and have no idea where you’ve been or who you’ve been near” - so I err on the side of caution.
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The CDC (Centers for Disease Control) changed its COVID recommendations last week
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