On September 30, 2023, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 553 into law, creating a new layer to California employers’ existing injury and illness prevention programs (IIPP). Under SB 553, employers are required to...more
On August 11, 2022, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) unveiled its updated COVID-19 guidelines, revising both quarantine and isolation guidelines in the process. The updates reflect the growing number of...more
As of July 26, 2022, there are 3,591 confirmed cases of monkeypox in the United States, according to US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data, and the World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General has...more
7/29/2022
/ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Emergency Management Plans ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Public Health Emergency ,
Risk Management ,
Safety Precautions ,
Workplace Safety ,
World Health Organization
On February 28, 2022, California Governor Gavin Newsom extended the second readoption of the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health’s (Cal/OSHA) COVID-19 Prevention Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) currently...more
4/18/2022
/ Amended Rules ,
Cal-OSHA ,
California ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employees ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Responsibilities ,
Governor Newsom ,
Masks ,
State and Local Government ,
Time Extensions ,
Vaccinations ,
Virus Testing ,
Workplace Safety
Employers are amending their vaccine policies in the wake of US Supreme Court opinions. Michelle Strowhiro, Sandra DiVarco and Abigail Kagan discuss the three vaccine rules at play - OSHA Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS),...more
On January 25, 2022, the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced that it would withdraw its controversial “vax-or-test” Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS), which required large employers to impose...more
On December 16, 2021, the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health’s (Cal/OSHA) Standards Board voted to approve the second readoption of the California COVID-19 Prevention Emergency Temporary Standards (Second...more
The courts continue to move the vaccine mandate goalposts on employers as dozens of legal challenges work their way through the courts. The latest developments are major game changers for employers. As of the publishing of...more
On November 4, 2021, the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) unveiled its Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) to protect employees of large employers in all industries from COVID-19. The Centers for...more
11/5/2021
/ Biden Administration ,
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Deadlines ,
Employees ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Mandates ,
Executive Orders ,
Federal Contractors ,
Final Rules ,
Health Care Providers ,
Healthcare Workers ,
OSHA ,
Public Health Emergency ,
Vaccinations ,
Virus Testing ,
Workplace Safety
On October 28, 2021, several details were released regarding the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) highly anticipated emergency temporary standard (ETS), also known as the “vax-or-test rule.” The ETS,...more
On September 24, 2021, the Safer Federal Workforce Task Force (the Task Force) issued its initial guidance (the Guidance) for federal contractor COVID-19 safety mandates. The Guidance was issued pursuant to US President Joe...more
9/28/2021
/ Biden Administration ,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employees ,
Employer Mandates ,
Executive Orders ,
Federal Contractors ,
Federal Employees ,
Masks ,
Remote Working ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Social Distancing ,
Subcontractors ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
On September 6, 2021, New York Governor Kathy Hochul designated COVID-19 as a “highly contagious communicable disease that presents a serious risk of harm to the public health” under the New York Health and Essential Rights...more
On August 26, 2021, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker issued Executive Order 2021-20 (COVID-19 Executive Order No. 87) (the Order). The Order mandates that all individuals in Illinois who are at least two years old and who are...more
8/31/2021
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Government Agencies ,
Governor Pritzker ,
Health and Safety ,
Healthcare ,
Illinois ,
Masks ,
Public Schools ,
State and Local Government ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
On August 13, 2021, the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) updated its COVID-19 guidance documents for employers in all industries. The new recommendations echo those published by the US Centers for...more
8/19/2021
/ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Guidance Update ,
High Risk Covid Employees ,
Masks ,
OSHA ,
Personal Protective Equipment ,
Reasonable Accommodation ,
Vaccinations ,
Virus Testing ,
Workplace Safety
On July 27, 2021, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revised its COVID-19 mask guidance, recommending that fully vaccinated individuals should wear a mask in indoor public spaces if they are located in areas of...more
On June 21, 2021, the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) long-anticipated Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) for COVID-19 requirements in the healthcare industry went into effect. Most of the...more
6/23/2021
/ Anti-Retaliation Provisions ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Covered Employer ,
Employee Training ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Healthcare ,
New Guidance ,
OSHA ,
Recordkeeping Requirements ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
As of May 16, 2021, 37.1% of the US population are fully vaccinated, with 47.4% reported to have at least one vaccination dose, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). As the vaccinated population...more
5/18/2021
/ Cal-OSHA ,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Mandates ,
Employment Policies ,
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Masks ,
New Guidance ,
Policies and Procedures ,
Social Distancing ,
State and Local Government ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
The COVID-19 pandemic has put unprecedented strain on organizations of all sizes across all industries. The uncertainty of the “new normal” is forcing employers all over the world to consider various new policies as employees...more
On April 20, 2021, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) released three new FAQs for employers who recommend or require employees to receive COVID-19 vaccines. OSHA is responsible for enforcing workplace...more
On November 19, 2020, California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) adopted emergency temporary standards on Coronavirus (COVID-19) prevention in the workforce, effective November 30, 2020, if approved as...more
The COVID-19 pandemic has put unprecedented strain on organizations of all sizes across all industries. The uncertainty of the “new normal” is forcing employers all over the world to consider various new policies as workers...more
11/17/2020
/ Business Expenses ,
Confidential Information ,
Continuing Legal Education ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Data Privacy ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Responsibilities ,
Employment Policies ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Re-Opening Guidelines ,
Reasonable Accommodation ,
Remote Working ,
Return-to-Work Agreements ,
Risk Mitigation ,
Wage and Hour ,
Webinars ,
Workplace Safety
On September 17, 2020, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 685 into law, which goes into effect on January 1, 2021. The law does two things: (1) it creates an enforceable statewide standard for how employers handle...more
9/23/2020
/ Business Interruption ,
Cal-OSHA ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employees ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Executive Orders ,
Governor Newsom ,
Public Health ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Safety Violations ,
Sick Employees ,
State and Local Government ,
State Legislatures ,
Workplace Outbreaks ,
Workplace Safety ,
Written Notice
Prioritizing the safety of your employees and customers is critical as you prepare to reopen your business. All workplace policies should be in writing, keeping in mind that different locations may require different policies...more
HOW SHOULD MULTI-NATIONAL EMPLOYERS APPROACH THE CORONAVIRUS?
Those that employ a global workforce are facing unique challenges with the evolving coronavirus outbreak. The number-one priority of every global employer is...more
3/4/2020
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Emergency Management Plans ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
EU ,
France ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Multinationals ,
Policies and Procedures ,
Privacy Laws ,
Public Health ,
Risk Management ,
Traveling Employee ,
UK ,
Workplace Safety
Should We Take Additional Precautions? If so, What Proactive Steps Can We Take To Keep Our Workplace healthy and Safe?
Yes. The General Duty Clause of the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) requires employers to...more