In October 2022, Governor Newsom announced the California COVID-19 State of Emergency would end on February 28, 2023. While this will phase out some of the tools the state used in handling the COVID-19 pandemic, it does not mean the end of all COVID-19 regulations and requirements for employers. Three illustrative examples are discussed
California
Cal/OSHA COVID-19 Prevention Non-Emergency Regulations Have Taken Effect as of February 3, 2023
California employers take note: the non-emergency version of the Cal/OSHA COVID-19 Prevention regulations are now in effect.
At the end of 2022, the Cal/OSHA Standards Board voted to adopt the COVID-19 Prevention non-emergency regulations to replace the Emergency Temporary Standard(ETS).
On February 3, 2023, the California Office of Administrative Law approved the non-emergency standard.…
COVID-19 ETS May Be Sunsetting But A New Dawn of a New Permanent Standard is Rising
California Department of Public Health Updates Definition of Close Contact
Previously, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) had redefined “close contact’ as someone sharing the same indoor airspace with a person who had COVID-19 for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period. This definition had caused issues for employers in particular who needed to comply with notice requirements. These…
No Universal Masking Mandate in Los Angeles or Across California
In March 2022, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) dropped universal indoor masking, though masking was still required in certain places. By April 2022, most counties had also ceased universal indoor masking requirements. However, recently, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (LACDPH) stated if the uptick in cases and hospitalizations continued, then…
Cal/OSHA Clarifies COVID-19 Close Contact Definition
In early June 2022, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) issued an order revising the definition of “close contact.” Under the CDPH order, close contact was defined as “someone sharing the same indoor airspace (e.g. home, clinic waiting room, airplane, etc.) for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period.”…
Governor Rolls Back California COVID-19 Executive Orders & Cal/OSHA Releases Draft Permanent COVID-19 Standard
On June 17, 2022, Governor Newsom issued an executive order terminating certain provisions of prior executive orders related to Cal/OSHA’s COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standards (ETS). Some of the terminated orders were no longer necessary due to changes in the ETS. For example, previously the Governor had issued an executive order stating exclusion periods could not…
Cal/OSHA Releases Updated FAQs & Fact Sheets for Third Readoption of ETS
At the end of April, the Cal/OSHA Standards Board voted to approve the Third Readoption of the Cal/OSHA COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS). The revised version of the ETS took effect on May 6, 2022.
As promised when passed, Cal/OSHA has released updated guidance to assist with this version of the ETS that
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Cal/OSHA Approves the Third Readoption of Cal/OSHA ETS
On April 21, 2022, Cal/OSHA’s Standards Board voted to approve the Third Readoption of the Cal/OSHA COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS).
The third adoption makes some changes to the ETS previously in effect. Some of the more significant changes include:
- Elimination of the requirement that face coverings pass the “light test” (does not let light
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Cal/OSHA to Vote on Third Readoption of ETS
Though California has mostly lifted COVID-19 requirements statewide, the Cal/OSHA Standards Board is not planning to let the COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) expire. Per Governor Newsom’s executive order, the expiration of the second readoption of the ETS was extended to May 6, 2022, but the Cal/OSHA’s Standards Board has posted a notice that it…