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On May 13th, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) updated its guidance for fully vaccinated individuals. The new guidance identified circumstances in which fully vaccinated individuals do not have to wear face coverings, including indoors. However, fully vaccinated individuals must still comply with federal, state, local, or workplace guidance for face coverings. Earlier in the month, the CDC also issued guidance easing outdoor mask requirements in non-crowded gatherings or when gathering with other vaccinated individuals.
In response to the most recent update to CDC guidance, Governor Newsom stated in a press briefing that subject to certain conditions being met, California expects to eliminate its outdoor mask mandates on June 15
Cal/OSHA Releases FAQ Answering COVID-19 Questions for the Workplace
Vaccinated employees in California can come to work even if theyâre exposed to someone with the disease.
By Shereen Hashem
May 14, 2021
Cal/OSHA issued a highly anticipated FAQ allowing employers to clearly know whether or not they can exclude fully vaccinated people from the workplace if they were exposed to someone with COVID-19.
Prior to the FAQ released, fully vaccinated employees in California were required to stay home from work if exposed to a person with the disease under Cal/OSHA’s Emergency Temporary Standards (ETS) but not under the U.S. CDC guidance. According to an article, the conflict was challenging for employers because businesses lost workers whose risk of transmission of COVID-19 was incredibly low, according to the CDC. These exclusion requirements left implications with paid leave obligations under SB 95, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) and ETS.
On May 20
th, the Cal/OSHA Standards Board will consider changes to COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standards (“ETS”).
The proposed changes would still require employers to have an established written COVID-19 Prevention Program (“CPP”) that covers everything from training and communication with employees to the investigation of COVID-19 cases in the workplace.
However, there are notable proposed changes in the requirements for the CPP, definitions, and COVID-19 case management procedures, which will have significant impacts on California employers.
Close Contact Instead of COVID-19 Exposure
This proposed change replaces the defined term “COVID-19 exposure” with the more commonly used term, “close contact.” Although the definition remains the same (i.e., 6 feet, 15 minutes, 24 hour period), it now includes an exception for employees who wore a respirator under a Respiratory Protection Program, whenever they were within six feet of a COVID-19 case during the high-ris
Wednesday, May 12, 2021
th, the Cal/OSHA Standards Board will consider changes to COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standards (“ETS”).
The proposed changes would still require employers to have an established written COVID-19 Prevention Program (“CPP”) that covers everything from training and communication with employees to the investigation of COVID-19 cases in the workplace.
However, there are notable proposed changes in the requirements for the CPP, definitions, and COVID-19 case management procedures, which will have significant impacts on California employers.
Close Contact Instead of COVID-19 Exposure
This proposed change replaces the defined term “COVID-19 exposure” with the more commonly used term, “close contact.” Although the definition remains the same (i.e., 6 feet, 15 minutes, 24 hour period), it now includes an exception for employees who wore a respirator under a Respiratory Protection Program, whenever they were within six feet of a COVID-1
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On May 5, 2021, Cal/OSHA issued much-awaited FAQs which provide clarity on whether employers must continue to exclude fully vaccinated employees from the workplace if they were exposed to a confirmed positive COVID-19 case (at work or otherwise). Prior to this guidance, fully vaccinated employees in California with exposure were still required to be excluded from the workplace under Cal/OSHA’s Emergency Temporary Standards (ETS), but not under CDC guidance. This conflict was challenging for many employers because it effectively resulted in the exclusion of workers whose risk of transmission was low according to CDC guidance in order to ensure compliance with the ETS. Such exclusion requirements had onerous implications with continuing supplemental paid leave obligations under SB 95, the FFCRA, and the ETS.