Eight weeks after President Joseph R. Biden’s announcement, the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued an Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) requiring all employers with at least 100 employees...more
11/5/2021
/ Biden Administration ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Emergency Management Plans ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Mandates ,
Health and Safety ,
Healthcare Workers ,
Infectious Diseases ,
New Rules ,
OSHA ,
Public Health Emergency ,
Vaccinations ,
Virus Testing ,
Workplace Safety
Among the many new California bills signed into law this session are two that amend the state’s workplace safety laws. Senate Bill (SB) 606 creates new classes of health and safety violations and dramatically increases...more
10/19/2021
/ Cal-OSHA ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Labor Reform ,
New Legislation ,
Occupational Exposure ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
State Labor Laws ,
Workplace Safety
The federal government’s complicated multi-pronged approach to implementing COVID-19 safeguards related to federal contractors has left many confused. ...more
10/1/2021
/ Biden Administration ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Critical Infrastructure Sectors ,
Emergency Management Plans ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Mandates ,
Essential Workers ,
Executive Orders ,
Federal Contractors ,
Federal Employees ,
Infectious Diseases ,
OSHA ,
Public Health Emergency ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
Earlier this month, President Biden released his COVID-19 Action Plan, Path Out of the Pandemic (Plan) with the stated goal of getting more people vaccinated....more
9/27/2021
/ Biden Administration ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Critical Infrastructure Sectors ,
Emergency Management Plans ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Mandates ,
Essential Workers ,
Exempt-Employees ,
Federal Contractors ,
Federal Employees ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Masks ,
Public Health Emergency ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Social Distancing ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
On September 17, 2021, the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) released for discussion initial draft text for proposed permanent COVID-19 regulations, which if adopted would be subject to renewal...more
9/22/2021
/ Cal-OSHA ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Emergency Management Plans ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Masks ,
Personal Protective Equipment ,
Public Health Emergency ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Risk Management ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
On September 9, 2021, President Biden released his COVID-19 Action Plan, Path Out of the Pandemic (the “Plan”). The Plan mandates vaccination against COVID-19 for employees working for employers that have 100 or more...more
9/15/2021
/ Biden Administration ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Emergency Management Plans ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Mandates ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
OSHA ,
Popular ,
Public Health Emergency ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
On August 13, 2021, OSHA issued updated guidance to better align with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s July 27, 2021 recommendations, given the rising cases of the COVID-19 Delta variant. The guidance’s...more
8/18/2021
/ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Emergency Management Plans ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Masks ,
New Guidance ,
OSHA ,
Public Health Emergency ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
On July 26, 2021, California Governor Gavin Newsom announced that his state will require all state employees and healthcare workers to provide proof of vaccination or be subject to regular COVID-19 testing. On August 5, 2021,...more
8/12/2021
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Critical Infrastructure Sectors ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Mandates ,
Health and Safety ,
Healthcare Workers ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Public Health Emergency ,
Reasonable Accommodation ,
State Employees ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
As follow-up to the California Department of Public Health’s new guidance issued on July 28, 2021, seven Bay Area counties including Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Sonoma and the City of...more
8/3/2021
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Labor Regulations ,
Local Ordinance ,
Masks ,
New Guidance ,
Personal Protective Equipment ,
Public Health Emergency ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
On July 28, 2021, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) issued new guidance calling for masking measures to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 Delta variant. The guidance provides information about higher-risk...more
On July 27, 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) revised its COVID-19 guidance, recommending that even individuals who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 should resume wearing masks in public...more
It was just last month when the state of California announced the state’s reopening and what many hoped to be the end of pandemic life and various COVID-19-related restrictions. Most significant for many, face masks—which...more
7/20/2021
/ City of Los Angeles ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Responsibilities ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Local Ordinance ,
Masks ,
Personal Protective Equipment ,
Public Health ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Workplace Safety
On June 17, 2021, the California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board (Standards Board), voted and passed its latest set of proposed revisions, with a 5 to 1 vote, to the Division of Occupational Safety and Health’s...more
On June 11, 2021, California’s Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board (Standards Board) released its latest set of proposed revisions to the Division of Occupational Safety and Health’s (Cal/OSHA) COVID-19 Emergency...more
6/14/2021
/ Cal-OSHA ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Responsibilities ,
Infectious Diseases ,
New Guidance ,
Occupational Exposure ,
Personal Protective Equipment ,
Public Health ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
Executive Summary -
The COVID-19 pandemic required nearly every employer around the globe to take stock of its workforce, policies and practices, and adapt to a rapidly changing and unpredictable environment. COVID-19...more
On December 18, 2020, California’s Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board (Standards Board)1 conducted a Stakeholders Meeting to address employer concerns about the COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) issued...more
On December 14, 2020, the California Department of Health (CDPH) issued guidance shortening the quarantine period from 14 days to 10 days for asymptomatic “close contacts” of an infected individual (those who were within six...more
On November 19, 2020, over the vigorous objections of several employers, trade associations, employer agencies, and defense counsel, the California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board voted unanimously to pass the...more
On September 29, 2020, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law Assembly Bill 2537 (AB 2537), the latest in a series of legislative enactments designed to protect employees from COVID-19 exposures in the workplace. ...more
10/2/2020
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Emergency Management Plans ,
Employer Responsibilities ,
Governor Newsom ,
Health and Safety ,
Health Care Providers ,
Hospitals ,
Infectious Diseases ,
New Legislation ,
Personal Protective Equipment ,
Public Health ,
State and Local Government ,
State Labor Laws ,
Workplace Safety
On September 17, 2020, California doubled down on its efforts to keep non-remote employees safe from COVID-19 exposure. Governor Newsom signed AB 685, new legislation that allows the state to track COVID-19 cases in the...more
9/18/2020
/ Cal-OSHA ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Governor Newsom ,
Infectious Diseases ,
New Legislation ,
Notice Requirements ,
Occupational Exposure ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Reporting Requirements ,
State and Local Government ,
State Labor Laws ,
Stop Work Orders
On July 24, 2020, the California Department of Public Health issued its most recent guidance for employers. According to the Department, the COVID-19 Employer Playbook for a Safe Reopening provides businesses with “the tools...more
8/3/2020
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Responsibilities ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Occupational Exposure ,
Personal Protective Equipment ,
Re-Opening Guidelines ,
Return-to-Work Agreements ,
Sick Employees ,
Sick Leave ,
Workplace Safety
On April 12, 2020, New York State became the latest and largest jurisdiction to impose face-covering requirements in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. ...more
Employers are doing their best to respond to the 2019 New Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) epidemic. The outbreak that began in China has rapidly evolved into a global crisis. It has caused turbulence in financial markets, forced...more
2/18/2020
/ Best Practices ,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
China ,
Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBA) ,
Confidential Information ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Emergency Management Plans ,
Employee Handbooks ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Infectious Diseases ,
International Travel ,
Multinationals ,
OSHA ,
Policies and Procedures ,
Public Health ,
Risk Management ,
Travel Restrictions ,
Traveling Employee ,
Workplace Safety ,
World Health Organization
Employers are struggling to determine how to respond to the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) outbreak, which, while originating in China, has swiftly turned into a perceived international crisis, upending financial markets,...more
1/30/2020
/ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
China ,
Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBA) ,
Confidential Information ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employee Handbooks ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Discrimination ,
Employment Policies ,
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) ,
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) ,
Hong Kong ,
Infectious Diseases ,
International Travel ,
OSHA ,
Protected Class ,
Public Health ,
Traveling Employee ,
Wage and Hour ,
Workplace Safety