Wow. A few days pass over a long weekend, and there are a million (ok, not quite that many!) COVID-19 developments. We will discuss them in detail during upcoming webinars. The first, “Vaccinations, Masks, Covid-19 Reasonable Accommodations, And California’s Reopening: Everything You Need to Know!” is set for June 7th. Register here. Space is limited!
In the meantime, below is a very brief summary of the key developments:
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- Cal/OSHA’s Revisions to the Emergency Temporary Standards: On May 19, 2021, the Cal/OSHA Standards Board tabled its vote on the revised ETS. Instead, the Board will address the proposed revisions at an “emergency” meeting on June 3, 2021. The revisions are significant, and will affect all employers. We will schedule a webinar to address the new requirements as soon as we have the final word from the Board.
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- The California Department of Public Health’s Reopening Guidance: On May 21, 2021, the California DPH issued new guidance regarding the “reopening” of California available here. The guidance addresses vaccine verification, negative testing, capacity limitations, physical distancing, masking, social events (including “mega” events), and traveling, and will be effective from June 15, 2021, through October 1, 2021. Review the proposed revisions here.
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- California’s “Employer Vaccination Toolkit” Website: On May 26, 2021, the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency and the California Department of Industrial Relations went live with an “Employer Vaccination Toolkit” available here. The Toolkit provides resources to employers regarding COVID-19 vaccinations.
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- The EEOC’s Updated COVID-19 Guidance: On May 28, 2021, the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission updated its COVID-19 guidance available here. Although the Commission stated that federal EEO laws do not prevent employers from offering incentives, those incentives must not be “coercive.” The Commission stated: “Because vaccinations require employees to answer pre-vaccination disability-related screening questions, a very large incentive could make employees feel pressured to disclose protected medical information.” What is a “very large incentive”? No idea.
Join our weekly “Wake Up Wednesday with Jen” webinars to stay up-to-date on all COVID-19 developments. Register here. [Topics posted a week in advance.]
