It’s been two years since the escalation of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, which has led many companies with business operations or personnel in Eastern Europe to adjust, restructure, or exit locations in Russia. Meanwhile,...more
The California Supreme Court issued its unanimous decision on May 22, 2023 in People ex rel. Garcia-Brower v. Kolla’s, Inc., which expanded the definition of “disclose” under California Labor Code Section 1102.5. The court...more
The California Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) Standards Board voted on December 15 to approve a non-emergency COVID-19 prevention standard. If approved by the Office of Administrative Law, this non-emergency...more
California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 152 into law on September 29, extending California’s 2022 COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave law to December 31, 2022. The bill also creates a program that will...more
While state and local governments and local health authorities can continue to require individuals and businesses to maintain stricter standards than the CDC’s recently updated guidance, the changes reflect the CDC’s current...more
The US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission updated its guidance on employer COVID-19 testing programs on July 12. The update reinforces that the evolving circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic require an individualized...more
California’s Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board met on April 21 and approved the third and final readoption of the COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard. This third readoption relaxes some of the prior COVID-19...more
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced a new framework on February 25 providing that mask wearing is optional in low- and moderate-risk settings....more
The Supreme Court of California, in response to a question certified to it by the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, clarified on January 27 in a unanimous opinion that California Labor Code Section 1102.6 provides...more
In response to the rapid spread of the COVID-19 Omicron variant, effective January 6, the LA County Department of Public Health revised its Health Office Order to include several notable updates, the most significant being a...more
The Cal/OSHA Standards Board on December 16 voted to approve the second readoption of the California COVID-19 Prevention Emergency Temporary Standards (ETS) during its monthly public meeting. The revised ETS will not adopt...more
The California Department of Public Health on December 13 announced that it will require all people—regardless of COVID-19 vaccination status—to wear face masks in all “indoor public settings” from December 15 through at...more
A federal judge in Georgia issued a preliminary injunction prohibiting the federal government from enforcing its COVID-19 vaccine mandate for federal contractors and subcontractors nationwide. This decision follows a November...more
The Safer Federal Workforce Task Force issued guidance on September 24 detailing the requirements that covered federal contractors and subcontractors must follow to comply with Executive Order 14042, “Ensuring Adequate COVID...more
Due to increased COVID-19 positivity and hospitalization rates stemming from the Delta variant, including a rising number of breakthrough cases, public health officers in seven Bay Area counties—Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin,...more
Despite initial ambiguity over the legality of an employer-imposed COVID-19 vaccine mandate in 2020, 2021 has brought a series of decisions and opinions from federal authorities and the judiciary clarifying that an employer...more
After reviewing the updated CDC Interim Public Health Recommendations for Fully Vaccinated People and in response to the recent surge in COVID-19 rates and hospitalizations, particularly in areas with lower vaccination rates,...more
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health issued a press release on July 15 indicating that on July 16 it will post a modified county Health Officer Order requiring everyone, regardless of vaccination status, to wear...more
The Cal/OSHA Standards Board voted on June 17 to “readopt” the COVID-19 Prevention Emergency Temporary Standards (ETS) with several revisions that brought the ETS rules for fully vaccinated employees more in line with the...more
Santa Clara County, California issued a health officer order on June 21, 2021, to phase out its May 18 health officer order, which required businesses to ascertain the vaccination status of all personnel working in the county...more
In another reversal, on June 9 the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) Standards Board unanimously voted to withdraw the “Readopted” Emergency Temporary Standards that it had approved just six...more
At a Standards Board meeting on June 3, 2021, the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) “readopted” its COVID-19 Prevention Emergency Temporary Standards with revisions as published on May 28. Most...more
6/7/2021
/ Cal-OSHA ,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Masks ,
OSHA ,
Public Health ,
Regulatory Standards ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) on May 28 released much-anticipated updated text for its proposed “Readoption” of COVID-19 Prevention Emergency Temporary Standards. Perhaps the biggest...more
The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) announced the state will move beyond the Blueprint for a Safer Economy, allowing businesses to return to usual operations (with limited exceptions for Mega Events), effective...more
On May 18, 2021, Santa Clara County issued the Order of the Health Officer of the County of Santa Clara to Protect the Community from COVID-19, which became effective on May 19, 2021. Most notably, the order requires...more