Podcast - What’s Next After Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Veto in California?
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Cal/OSHA regulates employee safety at places of employment. Historically, household domestic services were excluded from the definition of a “place of employment” and therefore Cal/OSHA’s jurisdiction. With a swish of his...more
Back in 2021, Governor Newsom signed Senate Bill 606 into law. We noted in our blog post that the law would “broadly expand[] Cal/OSHA’s enforcement authority and the penalty amounts employers may be assessed.” Cal/OSHA has...more
Starting July 1, 2024, all employers in California with more than 10 employees are now required to implement comprehensive workplace violence policies....more
The deadline is fast approaching for California employers to comply with a new state law on workplace violence. Employers by July 1, 2024, must have in place a workplace violence prevention plan, or WVPP, that covers a long...more
California Governor Gavin Newsom has announced that he has appointed Debra Lee as the new Chief of the Division of Occupational Safety and Health at the Department of Industrial Relations (also known as Cal/OSHA). Lee, a...more
In 2023, the California Legislature enacted a first-of-its-kind workplace violence prevention law that, unlike other workplace violence laws that apply to specific industries only (such as healthcare), applies across all...more
California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) published a model workplace violence prevention plan and fact sheets for applicable industries to help employers comply with SB 553. As we noted in our 2023...more
On September 30, 2023, Governor Newsom signed Senate Bill 553 (“SB 553”) into law. Among other things, the new legislation added section 6401.9 to the California Labor Code (“Section 6401.9”), which requires that virtually...more
As we reported in October, nearly all California employers must develop and adopt a written Workplace Violence Prevention Plan and implement related employee training as part of their existing Cal/OSHA Injury and Illness...more
On September 30, 2023, Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 553 into law, establishing a new written Workplace Violence Prevention Plan (“WVPP”) requirement for nearly all California employers. The WVPP requirement, which becomes...more
On September 11, 2023, the coalition of California businesses announced its agreement with labor unions to withdraw their referendum challenging Assembly Bill (AB) 257, which created the FAST Recovery Act, from next year’s...more
Almost three years into the COVID-19 pandemic, federal and state regulators are taking steps to prepare for a longer term response to COVID-19. Here are five developments to keep in mind: 1. The Definitions of “Close...more
With the 2022 California legislative year closed, it is once again time to examine the new legislation that will affect entities operating within the state. Summaries of key legislation are below, with relevant action items...more
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
The same week that California’s third round of COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave went into effect, the Governor released the state’s strategy for the endemic phase of COVID-19....more
To close out the 2021 legislative season, Governor Gavin Newsom signed dozens of bills into law, many of which directly affect California employers. In addition to the coverage in prior blog posts, which are linked below,...more
On June 17, 2021, the California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board voted to approve certain revisions to the Division of Occupational Safety and Health’s (Cal/OSHA’s) COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standards...more
California’s Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board (Cal-OSHA) has released proposed revisions to its COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standards (ETS). The revisions, key aspects of which are summarized in this alert,...more
Following the lead of the National Institute of Health (NIH), Cal/OSHA has promulgated new and modified emergency temporary standards for employers in response to the COVID-19 crisis. On June 3, 2021, the Occupational Safety...more
Regardless of vaccination status, physical distancing could be required in California indoor workplaces until July 31, 2021. If proposed revisions are approved, California employers must provide respirators such as N95 masks...more
On May 13, 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) made an unexpected change in its guidance for fully vaccinated people as to the use of face coverings and physical distancing. The announcement that...more
California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed SB 95 on March 19, 2021, expanding and resetting COVID-19-related supplemental paid sick leave in the Golden State. This bill provides COVID-19-related supplemental sick leave to those who...more
On March 19, 2021, Governor Newsom signed Senate Bill No. 95 which requires covered employers to provide a new bank of supplemental paid sick leave for certain COVID-19-related reasons. This bill goes into effect 10 days from...more
On September 17, 2020, Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 685 into law. Effective January 1, 2021, AB 685 makes several changes to the California Labor Code regarding occupational exposure to COVID-19. This includes...more
SB 1159 expands the presumption of workers’ compensation liability for employees who contract COVID-19 due to a workplace outbreak. A. Presumption of Workers’ Compensation Coverage for Certain COVID-19 Cases - New...more