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
Since we first explained the CMS vaccine mandate (the Interim Final Rule (IFR) from the Centers from Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) that requires COVID-19 vaccinations for all staff at covered facilities), the mandate has...more
The Supreme Court blocked OSHA from enforcing the vaccine mandate-or-test ETS and the agency responded Tuesday by shelving the emergency rule altogether. In some ways, these two developments mean that the pathway for...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
In one of the more shocking developments in a year full of surprises, a federal appeals court breathed new life into the Biden administration’s mandate-or-test emergency vaccine rule with a stunning Friday afternoon decision....more
“The Court ORDERS that Defendants are ENJOINED, during the pendency of this action or until further order of this Court, from enforcing the vaccine mandate for federal contractors and subcontractors in all covered contracts...more
As a result of a somewhat surprising ruling from a federal court judge in Kentucky Tuesday, the federal government is currently blocked from enforcing the vaccine mandate for federal contractors and subcontractors in all...more
Federal workplace safety officials just released the mandate-or-test workplace vaccine emergency rule, and employers are sure to have questions. The Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) developed by the Occupational Safety and...more
11/5/2021
/ Best Practices ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Covered Employer ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Mandates ,
Employment Policies ,
Federal Contractors ,
Healthcare Workers ,
Joint Employers ,
OSHA ,
Reasonable Accommodation ,
Recordkeeping Requirements ,
Religious Accommodation ,
Remote Working ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Unions ,
Vaccinations ,
Virus Testing ,
Workplace Illness and Injury Reporting ,
Workplace Safety
As employers implement their own internal COVID-19 protocols and procedures, many have the additional burden of complying with third-party vaccine policies or enforcing their own vaccine policies upon non-employees such as...more
10/27/2021
/ Confidential Information ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Customers ,
Documentation ,
Employee Privacy Rights ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Mandates ,
Employment Policies ,
Public Accommodation ,
Reasonable Accommodation ,
Religious Accommodation ,
Temporary Employees ,
Vaccinations ,
Vendors ,
Visitors ,
Workplace Safety
With many current COVID-19 safety protocols dependent on vaccination status, verification and vaccine mandates continue to raise unique confidentiality and privacy considerations for employers. Here are some important points...more
Not long after West Hollywood issued an Emergency Order requiring vaccine verification and a vaccine mandate for certain businesses, Los Angeles County followed suit with its own vaccine mandate for many hospitality...more
10/6/2021
/ Bars ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Distilleries ,
Employer Mandates ,
Hospitality Industry ,
Nightclubs ,
Public Gatherings ,
Restaurant Industry ,
Vaccinations ,
Verification Requirements ,
Virus Testing ,
Wineries
The Safer Federal Workforce Task Force just issued new COVID-19 Workplace Safety Guidance for Federal Contractors and Subcontractors, which provides further detail and guidance on the vaccine mandate and COVID-19 safety...more
9/28/2021
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Mandates ,
Federal Contractors ,
Masks ,
New Guidance ,
Reasonable Accommodation ,
Religious Accommodation ,
Social Distancing ,
Subcontractors ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
The Biden Administration’s recent “Path Out of the Pandemic” expands the COVID-19 vaccine mandate covering nursing home workers and will soon reach 17 million healthcare workers at Medicare and Medicaid-certified facilities....more
9/15/2021
/ Ambulatory Surgery Centers ,
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Mandates ,
Employment Policies ,
Health and Safety ,
Health Care Providers ,
Healthcare Workers ,
Home Health Agencies ,
Home Health Care ,
Home Healthcare Workers ,
Hospitals ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Nursing Homes ,
Reasonable Accommodation ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
As part of the Biden administration’s “Path Out of the Pandemic” plan released yesterday, President Biden issued an executive order adding COVID-19 vaccination requirements affecting nearly all federal contractors. The new...more
The news this morning that the federal government fully approved the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine could be a pivotal milestone in the fight against the coronavirus – especially when it comes to employers’ role in the battle. After...more
After announcing last week that healthcare workers (and state employees) will soon be required to either provide proof of vaccination or submit to weekly or bi-weekly COVID-19 testing, California issued an additional order...more
8/9/2021
/ Ambulatory Surgery Centers ,
CDPH ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Mandates ,
Exempt-Employees ,
Health and Safety ,
Health Care Providers ,
Health Clinics ,
Healthcare Facilities ,
Healthcare Workers ,
Hospice ,
Hospitals ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Masks ,
Physicians ,
Recordkeeping Requirements ,
Skilled Nursing Facility ,
Vaccinations ,
Virus Testing ,
Workplace Safety
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
The Santa Clara County Health Officer just issued a new order phasing out the May 18 Order that had introduced a vaccine-tracking mandate for employers, relieving employers of the administrative burden imposed by the...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
Now that most states, the CDC, and OSHA have (or may soon) lift mask mandates for vaccinated workers, what is an employer to do about revealing an employee’s vaccination status? Under any relaxed masking guidance applicable...more
Businesses in Santa Clara County must get ready to comply with the County’s new vaccine tracking mandate by no later than June 1. The County of Santa Clara Emergency Operations Center issued a May 18 Order of The Health...more
5/25/2021
/ Confidential Information ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Data Collection ,
Deadlines ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Enforcement ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Recordkeeping Requirements ,
Vaccinations ,
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