California may be one of the last states standing with a workplace COVID-19 prevention rule in place — but Cal/OSHA just relaxed its related isolation and testing requirements for employers in light of recent public health...more
While the rest of the nation has largely moved on from COVID-19 workplace regulations, California employers still have some compliance obligations. For instance, a Cal/OSHA non-emergency COVID-19 regulation will remain on the...more
By now, California employers are quite familiar with the following situation: the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) makes a change to COVID-19 guidance and your workplace obligations are affected under Cal/OSHA’s...more
A grim reality in the wake of recent tragedies is that employers have a heightened interest in developing strategies to minimize workplace violence and related legal risks. For California employers, that heightened interest...more
After several long weeks as the Office of Administrative Law (OAL) undertook a review of the proposal, the new Cal/OSHA COVID-19 regulation has been approved as is now officially in effect. The new regulation was approved and...more
By now, California employers are familiar with the state’s COVID-19 safety protocols for the workplace. After several years, however, Cal/OSHA’s Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) is being replaced by a new “permanent”...more
1/20/2023
/ Cal-OSHA ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employee Training ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Masks ,
New Regulations ,
Notice Requirements ,
Recordkeeping Requirements ,
Virus Testing ,
Workplace Hazards ,
Workplace Illness and Injury Reporting ,
Workplace Safety
As we near the end of the Cal/OSHA COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS), Cal/OSHA has promised a new COVID-19 workplace regulation in its place. On December 15, the agency’s Standards Board will be voting to approve a...more
After a wild and bumpy ride of dealing with the Cal/OSHA COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS), most California employers were relieved that the ETS was set to expire at the end of this year. However, last-minute debate...more
Fans of the 1984 fantasy film The NeverEnding Story might remember the famous line, “Every real story is a never-ending story.” For California employers that have been grappling with COVID-19 for the better part of the last...more
10/7/2022
/ Cal-OSHA ,
CDPH ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Notice Requirements ,
Paid Sick Leave ,
Rebuttable Presumptions ,
Recordkeeping Requirements ,
Wage and Hour ,
Workers' Compensation Claim ,
Workplace Illness and Injury Reporting ,
Workplace Safety
California public health officials recently revised the definitions of “close contact” and “infectious period” that appear in the state’s pandemic-related rules – and the new broader standards might catch some employers by...more
Many California employers were hopeful there was an end in sight for COVID-19 requirements – but recent activity from state workplace safety officials means that you will most likely need to comply with pandemic rules for at...more
California workplace safety officials just approved a third round of changes to the state’s COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard, and while many of them conform to recent guidance that have already been incorporated into...more
4/22/2022
/ Cal-OSHA ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Emergency Rule ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Policies ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Masks ,
Vaccinations ,
Virus Testing ,
Workplace Safety
In the surest sign that COVID-19 restrictions are moving to the rearview mirror once and for all, California has just relaxed its face covering requirements, regardless of vaccination status in most settings – and for most...more
3/2/2022
/ Cal-OSHA ,
CDPH ,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Executive Orders ,
Governor Newsom ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Masks ,
New Guidance ,
Public Health ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
California will lift its statewide mask mandate for vaccinated individuals in most indoor public spaces on February 15. This update signals the expiration of the January 5 California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Order....more
On the heels of the Centers for Disease Control’s (CDC’s) updated isolation and quarantine guidance reducing the length of time an individual must isolate after contracting COVID-19 and the quarantine period for those exposed...more
1/5/2022
/ Cal-OSHA ,
CDPH ,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Masks ,
New Guidance ,
Quarantine ,
Sick Employees ,
Social Distancing ,
Vaccinations ,
Virus Testing ,
Workplace Safety
Following recent updated guidance from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) recommending that all individuals wear face coverings indoors regardless of vaccination status, Cal/OSHA just released a statement...more
Less than a day after the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued new masking guidance for fully vaccinated individuals in substantial or high transmission areas, the California Department of Public Health...more
After a whirlwind several weeks, California just finalized changes to Cal/OSHA’s Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) that immediately took effect and will require workplaces across the state to adjust their pandemic-related...more
Employers monitoring proposed changes to Cal/OSHA’s Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) in recent weeks likely have whiplash from trying to keep up with the back-and-forth slew of developments. However, it appears we are close...more
6/15/2021
/ Cal-OSHA ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Documentation ,
Employee Housing ,
Employment Policies ,
Exclusions ,
Exemptions ,
Health and Safety ,
Masks ,
Notice Requirements ,
Re-Opening Guidelines ,
Sick Employees ,
Social Distancing ,
Vaccinations ,
Virus Testing ,
Wage and Hour ,
Workplace Safety
California employers will need to ensure that your employees are masked up and socially distanced – regardless of vaccination status – until at least June 28 following late-breaking activity last night by Cal/OSHA to pull...more
After a rollercoaster meeting Thursday where it originally voted down the proposed revisions, Cal/OSHA’s Standards Board eventually adopted proposed revisions to the Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) that will establish...more
6/7/2021
/ Cal-OSHA ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employee Housing ,
Employee Training ,
Employer Responsibilities ,
Employment Policies ,
Exclusions ,
Exemptions ,
Health and Safety ,
Masks ,
Notice Requirements ,
Occupational Exposure ,
Required Documentation ,
Sick Employees ,
Social Distancing ,
Vaccinations ,
Virus Testing ,
Wage and Hour ,
Workplace Safety
In an unexpected turn of events, the California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board announced yesterday that it will not move to adopt the proposed revisions to the existing Cal/OSHA COVID-19 Emergency Temporary...more
After months of calls for modification to Cal/OSHA’s Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS), California is about to adopt significant changes to the standard in light of the changing nature of the COVID-19 pandemic and the...more
5/19/2021
/ Cal-OSHA ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employee Housing ,
Employer Responsibilities ,
Employment Policies ,
Exclusions ,
Exemptions ,
Health and Safety ,
Masks ,
Notice Requirements ,
Occupational Exposure ,
Sick Employees ,
Social Distancing ,
Vaccinations ,
Virus Testing ,
Wage and Hour ,
Workplace Safety
Employers in California have been clamoring for changes to workplace health and safety COVID-19 standards as a result of the growing numbers of employees who are fully vaccinated. Recent updated guidance from the California...more
California Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) further updated its COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standards Frequently Asked Questions late last week in an attempt to provide more clarification and answer questions the...more
1/12/2021
/ Cal-OSHA ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Critical Infrastructure Sectors ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Responsibilities ,
Employment Policies ,
Infectious Diseases ,
New Guidance ,
Occupational Exposure ,
Quarantine ,
Return-to-Work Agreements ,
Social Distancing ,
Vaccinations ,
Virus Testing ,
Wage and Hour ,
Workplace Safety