Seyfarth Synopsis: Following a rollercoaster ride that lasted for weeks, and culminated in another 4.5 hour long marathon meeting, on June 17, 2021, Cal/OSHA finally approved a revised version of its Emergency Temporary Standard (“ETS”). While the revised ETS aligns closer to guidance issued by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”) and California Department of Public Health (“CDPH”)
Continue Reading Finally! Cal/OSHA Approves Revised Emergency Temporary Standard

Seyfarth Synopsis: Following its June 3, 2021 meeting, when the Cal/OSHA Standards Board voted to approve Cal/OSHA’s controversial revisions to the COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS), the Board convened an emergency meeting on June 9, 2021, where it voted unanimously to pull back the revisions. On June 11, 2021, the Board released a proposed do-over —the third attempt at an
Continue Reading Fast and Furious 3: Cal/OSHA’s Emergency Temporary Standard Drift

Seyfarth Synopsis: On May 21, 2021, California health officials confirmed that the State’s highly anticipated June 15 reopening date is a go. With this announcement comes the long-awaited release of details about exactly what restrictions are poised to be lifted—which looks to be just about everything, at least on a State level. (Local restrictions may yet apply.)

Ditching
Continue Reading California Finally Moves to Reopen

Seyfarth Synopsis: On May 20, 2021, the California Occupational Safety & Health Standards Board (OSHSB) will consider changes to the COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) Rules, and it just posted the changes it will consider. These potential changes are broad-ranging and affect employers’ requirements related to masking, social distancing, testing, exclusion, and more, especially with respect to vaccinated
Continue Reading Cal/OSHA Considering Changes to COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard

Seyfarth Synopsis: Two weeks after issuing a statewide face covering mandate, and just days after ordering seven counties to shut down bars, Governor Newsom made the decision to re-close the indoor operations of several sectors in 19 counties in an attempt to flatten the spike in new California COVID-19 cases.

As summer began and businesses across California started to
Continue Reading ‘Cause Baby, There’s No Fireworks: California Rolls Back Reopenings

Seyfarth Synopsis: As counties begin loosening local restrictions and summer approaches, and in an effort to preempt a rise in COVID-19 cases, the California Department of Public Health issued a directive mandating that residents statewide wear face coverings.

Before today, California only recommended that residents wear face coverings as a precautionary measure with COVID-19, and the State left it in
Continue Reading Nothing Comes Close To The Golden Coast: California Requires Masks