On Monday November 20, 2020, the Department of Industrial Relations issued a News Release announcing new Cal/OSHA Emergency Regulations that have now been approved by the Office of Administrative Law (OAL) and are effective 12/1/2020.  They will be inforce for 180 days unless extended.  These new regulations essentially apply to all businesses and all employees except those working exclusively from home.

On 12/2/2020 Cal/OSHA released their frequently asked questions (FAQs) regarding the new regulations and their enforcement.  The law allowed no time for employers to implement all of its requirements.  As a consequence Cal/OSHA will give consideration to an employer that is making a good faith effort to comply.

Attached are links to 3 documents recently released as Emergency Temporary Standards by the Standards Board of Cal/OSHA to address COVID-19.  The purpose of these are to provide a blueprint for California Employers to implement in order to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 as well as increased testing, notification and recordkeeping requirements.

Standards Board Unanimously Adopts Emergency Temporary Standards  (Use hyperlink below)

https://files.constantcontact.com/19c790fd501/9b6b4954-cccf-460a-82e2-bccd4e9d73d5.pdf

COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standards FAQs  (use Hyperlink below)

https://files.constantcontact.com/19c790fd501/45e13d6c-0796-4686-ab7d-b37eadd495a6.pdf

Model COVID-19 Prevention Program  (use

https://files.constantcontact.com/19c790fd501/7fe0c16c-d55e-40b1-af22-3655b74ec373.pdf