On May 13, 2025, Cal/OSHA released a new discussion draft of its proposed regulation on Workplace Violence Prevention in General Industry. This latest version updates the July 15, 2024 draft we previously blogged about, and...more
5/30/2025
/ Cal-OSHA ,
California ,
Employee Rights ,
Employees ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Responsibilities ,
Hostile Environment ,
Labor Reform ,
Proposed Regulation ,
Proposed Rules ,
Recordkeeping Requirements ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Reporting Requirements ,
State Labor Laws ,
Workplace Violence
On May 13, 2025, Cal/OSHA released a new discussion draft of its proposed regulation on Workplace Violence Prevention in General Industry. This latest version updates the July 15, 2024 draft we previously blogged about, and...more
5/27/2025
/ Cal-OSHA ,
California ,
Criminal Mischief ,
Employee Rights ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Responsibilities ,
Labor Reform ,
New Regulations ,
Proposed Rules ,
Recordkeeping Requirements ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Shoplifting ,
State Labor Laws ,
Workplace Violence
Nevada’s sunny and hot summers pose hazards of heat-related illnesses to outdoor workers and non-climate-controlled indoor workers. April 29, 2025 marks a significant milestone for workplace safety in Nevada as the Nevada...more
4/29/2025
/ Employee Training ,
Employees ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Responsibilities ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Heat Exposure ,
Nevada ,
New Regulations ,
OSHA ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
State Labor Laws ,
Workplace Injury ,
Workplace Safety
A workplace violence prevention law passed by the New York State legislature in June 2024 and signed into law by the Governor in September 2024 with certain provisions set to take effect in March 2025 has been amended....more
2/6/2025
/ Employee Training ,
Employees ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Policies ,
Final Rules ,
Hospitality Industry ,
New Legislation ,
NYDOL ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Retail Workers ,
Retailers ,
Risk Management ,
State Labor Laws ,
Workplace Safety
The State of Washington is proposing a new workplace safety rule that allows employees to designate a non-employee third-party representative—including unrelated union activists—during workplace safety inspections conducted...more
1/29/2025
/ Constitutional Challenges ,
Employee Rights ,
Fifth Amendment ,
Final Rules ,
Fourth Amendment ,
OSHA ,
Proposed Rules ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Safety Inspections ,
State Labor Laws ,
Union Representatives ,
Unions ,
Washington ,
Workplace Safety
On December 21, 2024, New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed the State’s new Worker Injury Reduction Program into law, which requires covered employers to establish a program to identify and minimize the risks of...more
1/28/2025
/ Employee Rights ,
Employee Training ,
Employees ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Labor Reform ,
New Legislation ,
New York ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
State Labor Laws ,
Warehouses ,
Workplace Injury ,
Workplace Safety
Ongoing wildfires in Southern California trigger Cal/OSHA regulations that require employers to train and protect employees from wildfire smoke. The regulation applies to most outdoor workplaces, requiring employers to...more
1/10/2025
/ Cal-OSHA ,
California ,
City of Los Angeles ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Employee Training ,
Employees ,
Employer Responsibilities ,
Environmental Policies ,
Occupational Exposure ,
Personal Protective Equipment ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
State Labor Laws ,
Wildfires ,
Workplace Safety
Seyfarth Synopsis: A new bill passed by the New York State legislature in June 2024, and signed into law by the Governor in September 2024, will mandate that retail employers install panic buttons in the workplace, establish...more
9/12/2024
/ Employee Training ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Labor Reform ,
New Legislation ,
New York ,
Retail Market ,
Retail Workers ,
Retailers ,
State Labor Laws ,
Workplace Safety ,
Workplace Violence
Seyfarth Synopsis: Following California’s Workplace Violence Prevention Plan regulation becoming effective, the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (“Cal/OSHA”) recently published its draft Workplace...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: A new rulemaking is underway at the California Department of Industrial Relations that will allow Cal/OSHA to cite employers for “enterprise-wide and egregious” violations, implementing a 2021 law signed by...more
7/30/2024
/ Cal-OSHA ,
California ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Employees ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Health and Safety ,
Labor Code ,
Proposed Regulation ,
Proposed Rules ,
State Labor Laws ,
Statutory Violations ,
Workplace Safety
Seyfarth Synopsis: On July 24, 2024, Cal/OSHA’s indoor heat rule was approved by the Office of Administrative Law (OAL) and filed with the Secretary of State (SOS), rendering the rule effective immediately....more
On June 20, 2024, the first day of summer, the Cal/OSHA Standards Board turned the heat up on employers and unanimously voted to approve Cal/OSHA’s indoor heat rule. Employers should be prepared to comply with the rule as...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: Expanding a law enacted in 2022, New York’s legislature passed another bill that seeks to limit warehouse-related injuries by requiring employers to establish and implement an injury reduction program,...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: The Cal/OSHA Standards Board unanimously voted to approve Cal/OSHA’s indoor heat rule at the June 20, 2024 Standards Board meeting. Employers should be prepared to comply within the next 30-60 days....more
Seyfarth Synopsis: A new bill passed by the New York State legislature, and awaiting the Governor’s signature, would mandate that retail employers install panic buttons in the workplace, establish a “workplace violence...more
6/12/2024
/ Labor Reform ,
New York ,
Pending Legislation ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Retail Market ,
Retail Workers ,
Retailers ,
State Labor Laws ,
Workplace Safety ,
Workplace Violence ,
Workplace Violence Prevention Programs
The Cal/OSHA Standards Board was ready to vote on Cal/OSHA’s indoor heat rule at the March 21, 2024 Standards Board meeting, but at the 11th hour, the Board was ordered to cancel its scheduled vote....more
Senate Bill 553, signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom, requires nearly all employers in the State of California to prepare a Workplace Violence Prevention Plan, train employees on how to identify and avoid workplace...more
3/8/2024
/ Cal-OSHA ,
California ,
Employee Training ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Healthcare Workers ,
Hostile Environment ,
Labor Reform ,
New Legislation ,
OSHA ,
Policies and Procedures ,
Recording Requirements ,
Recordkeeping Requirements ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Restraining Orders ,
State Labor Laws ,
Workplace Hazards ,
Workplace Injury ,
Workplace Safety ,
Workplace Violence
Seyfarth Synopsis: Senate Bill 553, signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom, requires nearly all employers in the State of California to prepare a Workplace Violence Prevention Plan, train employees on how to identify and...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: Effective July 17, 2023, employers with outdoor workers in the state of Washington will be required to follow revised heat illness prevention rules. The revised rules modify Washington’s long-standing 2008...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: After a lengthy delay due in part to the COVID-19 pandemic, Cal/OSHA has published its proposed indoor heat illness prevention standard. After the publication, there is a 45-day comment period, ending at...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: Two big changes are on the horizon for California employers:(1) changes to the COVID-19 general exposure notification requirements and (2) a proposed “permanent” Cal/OSHA COVID-19 standard to take effect...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: California Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 606 into law on September 27, 2021. It creates two new categories of Cal/OSHA violations: “enterprise-wide” and “egregious”. It also provides Cal/OSHA with...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: On September 17, 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic continued, Cal/OSHA’s Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board voted unanimously to draft a COVID-19 temporary emergency standard and a permanent...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: In late May, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam directed the state’s Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) to develop emergency temporary standards to prevent workplace exposure to COVID-19. Those rules were...more