State Change in COVID-19 Definition of ‘Close Contact’ Leaves Questions for California Employers
One of the most well-known elements of COVID-19 workplace safety was changed last month — to relatively little fanfare — and it has left...
Coalition Urges Legislature to Adopt $3B UI Debt Payment Budget Proposal
The California Chamber of Commerce and a broad-based coalition of employer organizations are strongly supporting Governor Gavin Newsom’s budget proposal to help reduce the...
Unemployment Fund Insolvency Will Lead to Payroll Tax Increases
With the legislative frenzy complete for the year, Sacramento’s policymakers are turning their eyes toward next year’s budget and their next round of legislative...
COVID-19 in the Workplace — Vaccination Mandate on Horizon
COVID-19 continues to dominate discussions around workplace safety in California and across the nation — and big changes for businesses are on the horizon...
Coming Soon: U.S. Emergency Rule Establishing Large Employer Vaccination or Testing Mandate
On September 9, 2021, President Joe Biden announced that the U.S. Department of Labor through its Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is working...
Proposal Allows Cal/OSHA to Sidestep Fiscal Review
Workplace rules would be allowed to skip past critical analysis of their fiscal and other effects if legislation pending before the Assembly becomes law.
SB...
New COVID-19 Workplace Rules Align with CDC, State Health Dept. Guidelines
This week, the Standards Board of the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) adopted revisions to the COVID-19 emergency workplace rules.
The changes...
Cal/OSHA to Revise COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard Again
Revisions to California’s COVID-19 workplace emergency temporary standard (ETS) were delayed again this week at a special meeting of the Cal/OSHA Standards Board, but...
Cal/OSHA Delays Vote on COVID-19 Emergency Rule Amendments
Employers will have to wait a little longer to know what is coming for California’s COVID-19 workplace emergency temporary standard (ETS).
The California Division of...
Rising Payroll Taxes Coming to Shore Up California’s Pandemic-Depleted UI Fund
As the 2021 crop of legislation is coming into form and moving through legislative committees addressing a range of topics, one topic is conspicuously...
State Lags Behind New CDC Guidelines for Vaccinated and Unvaccinated People
On Monday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued new guidance on social contact and when quarantining is required for vaccinated people.
California...
Cal/OSHA Gathering Feedback on COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard
The Cal/OSHA advisory committee’s February meetings on the COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) offer some hints as to the future of California’s ETS.
Before the...
CalChamber Urges Pull Back of Emergency COVID Rules
The California Chamber of Commerce urged the California Legislature this week to correct a series of costly COVID-19 workplace mandates imposed through an emergency...
Legislature, Governor Must Act to Prevent California Employers from Paying for EDD’s Mistakes
Whenever something goes wrong—whenever something is lost or damaged—the question is always the same: who gets stuck holding the bag? And we all know...
Streamlined Work Sharing Program Offers Alternative to Layoffs
As California businesses continue to struggle to maintain their workforces during COVID-related closing and reopenings, employers should keep in mind California’s underutilized work share...
CalChamber Asks Cal/OSHA to Delay Enforcing Emergency COVID-19 Rules
The California Chamber of Commerce is urging the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) to delay enforcement of the emergency COVID-19 rules.
The...
Cal/OSHA Emergency Rule for COVID-19 in Effect Now
As of November 30, 2020, the new Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) 21-page COVID-19 Emergency Standard is in effect across California, covering...