Insight & Commentary on California Workplace Law Issues & Developments
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 on short notice, so it is vital that employers prepare early.
With some exceptions, the wildfire smoke standard applies to workplaces…
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 COVID-19 Pandemic and shelter-in-place requirements. Currently, it is not that type of emergency. However, there are some mandates that…
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 duster pen, Governor Newsom signed Senate Bill (SB) 1350, which removes this exemption and grants Cal/OSHA control over household domestic services with the…
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 directed to develop regulations to implement this new law.
Many employers are hoping that the new regulations will shed some light on…
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 temperature equals or exceeds 82 degrees Fahrenheit.
At the time of its passage, it was unclear when the new standard would…
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 failed on procedural grounds.
Covered Employers
The new standard will apply to all indoor work areas where the temperature equals or exceeds…
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. Cal/OSHA is responsible for enforcing the requirements of SB 553, now codified in California Labor Code Section 6401.9.
Recently, Cal/OSHA…
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 Prevention in Indoor Places of Employment. This comes after Cal/OSHA had stepped up enforcement of indoor heat hazards despite no…
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.
In its Initial Statement of Reasons for the revisions, the Board indicates that the existing requirements are based on lead toxicity information and medical and epidemiological data…
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…
