California employers should begin preparing to comply with their annual requirements under the workplace violence prevention law, California’s Labor Code 6401.9 (commonly known as SB 553), including retraining their staff and...more
As of February 3, 2025, most of Cal/OSHA’s COVID-19 Prevention Non-Emergency Standards have officially come to an end. This marks a significant shift for California employers who have been navigating these regulations and...more
2/13/2025
/ Cal-OSHA ,
California ,
Compliance ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Final Rules ,
Labor Regulations ,
Public Health ,
Recordkeeping Requirements ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Workplace Safety
In light of the ongoing and devastating fires in Los Angeles County, Cal/OSHA released new guidance to ensure the safety and health of workers involved in fire damage cleanup. Of note, Cal/OSHA’s standards may apply to some...more
1/28/2025
/ Cal-OSHA ,
California ,
Employee Training ,
Employees ,
Health and Safety ,
New Guidance ,
NIOSH ,
Personal Protective Equipment ,
State Labor Laws ,
Wildfires ,
Workplace Safety
In light of recent wildfires across Southern California, employers should make sure they are familiar with California’s wildfire smoke standard. Sadly, harmful air quality from wildfire smoke can occur anywhere in the state...more
1/13/2025
/ Air Pollution ,
Cal-OSHA ,
California ,
Climate Change ,
Compliance ,
Employee Rights ,
Employee Training ,
Employees ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Final Rules ,
Health and Safety ,
OSHA ,
Wildfires ,
Workplace Safety
On December 18, 2024, Governor Newsom proclaimed a State of Emergency to streamline and expedite the state’s response to Avian influenza A (H5N1), commonly known as “Bird Flu.” This may give many employers flashbacks to the...more
Maryland Occupational Safety and Health (MOSH) has issued its long-awaited heat stress standards. Maryland employers need to pay careful attention to these new standards. MOSH also issued information and guidance, which...more
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA’s) Walkaround Rule has sparked a legal showdown between business associations and OSHA in a U.S. District Court in Texas. The agency’s rulemaking powers and...more
As Golden State employers know, a new workplace violence prevention law for non-healthcare employers went into effect on July 1, 2024. Cal/OSHA, the agency charged with overseeing workplace safety and health, has been...more
In June, the California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board – unanimously adopted a new standard for Heat Illness Prevention in Indoor Places of Employment. The standard applies to all indoor work areas where the...more
On June 20, 2024, the California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board (Cal/OSHA) unanimously adopted a new standard for Heat Illness Prevention in Indoor Places of Employment. A prior attempt to pass the regulation...more
California has enacted the country’s first general industry workplace violence prevention safety law. The law takes effect on July 1, 2024, and imposes requirements on nearly all California employers, including retail...more
Last year, California’s Governor signed Senate Bill (SB) 553, which requires most employers to establish, implement, and maintain an effective Workplace Violence Prevention Plan (WVPP). The law is enforceable on July 1, 2024....more
Last year, California’s Governor signed Senate Bill (SB) 553, which requires all employers to establish, implement, and maintain an effective Workplace Violence Prevention Plan (WVPP). The law takes effect on July 1, 2024....more
Cal/OSHA, the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health, effective January 1, 2024, increased penalties for certain violations to adjust for inflation and ensure consistency with California and federal law....more
California’s pay data reporting portal will open on February 1, 2024, and employers will be required to report on three new data points.
Since 2020, California has mandated that employers with at least 100 employees submit...more
Unless exempt, California employers are required to post their annual summary of work-related injuries and illnesses, in a visible and easily accessible area at every worksite from February 1st through April 30th. Cal/OSHA’s...more
Last week, the Cal/OSHA Standards Board approved an emergency temporary standard regarding respirable crystalline silica (RCS). The standard will take effect December 29, 2023....more
As the temperatures cool outside, the regulations for indoor heat illness prevention are heating up. Cal/OSHA has been working on a proposed Indoor Heat Illness Prevention Standard since 2017. In the spring Cal/OSHA Standards...more
California’s 2023 legislative session ended on October 14, 2023, with a slew of new bills affecting employers. Governor Gavin Newsom signed more than 30 employment-related bills.
Highlights of the new laws affecting...more
10/20/2023
/ Cal-OSHA ,
California ,
Cannabis Products ,
Decriminalization of Marijuana ,
Employment Contract ,
Fast-Food Industry ,
FEHA ,
Healthcare Workers ,
New Legislation ,
Non-Compete Agreements ,
Paid Sick Leave ,
Restrictive Covenants ,
State Labor Laws ,
Wage and Hour ,
Workplace Violence
On September 30, 2023, Governor Newsom signed Senate Bill (SB) 553, which will require employers to establish, implement, and maintain an effective workplace violence prevention plan (WVPP)....more
As Summer starts to heat up, employers with outdoor worksites should review their Heat Illness Prevention Plan (HIPP) compliance under Cal/OSHA’s outdoor heat illness prevention standard.
Which Employers Are Covered? ...more
The “cannabis industry” in California is not monolithic but is actually composed of employers in various industries. Agricultural employers cultivate cannabis, manufacturing employers process cannabis and package it, and...more
Cal/OSHA has been working on a proposed Indoor Heat Illness Prevention Standard since 2017. Now, nearly 5 years later, the Cal/OSHA Standards Board published a draft standard and announced a public hearing on Heat Illness...more
On March 7, 2023, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), the federal government agency charged with protecting consumers in the financial sector, and the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), the federal government...more
On March 3, 2023, the Cal/OSHA Standards Board published notice of proposed revised regulations pertaining to workplace exposure to lead for the general industry and construction safety orders....more