Brian Dierzé

On December 15, 2022, the California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board (“OSHSB”) promulgated new and permanent General Industry Safety Orders (“Permanent Standards”) addressing workplace health and safety issues related to COVID-19 (8 C.C.R. §§ 3205-3205.3). These Permanent Standards...

In the last month, the State has updated guidance and requirements on two important COVID-19-related subjects: (1) who qualifies as a “close contact” after a workplace exposure; and (2) what notice employers must provide in the event of a workplace exposure. This bulletin reviews these changes in...

On September 30, 2022, Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill (“AB”) 152 into law.
The bill amends the Labor Codes, making several important changes to how COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave (“SPSL”) is administered.
The changes to the law will take effect immediately.
The purpose of this...

On September 15, 2022, the California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board (“OSHSB”) held its first public meeting to consider a new workplace health and safety regulation related to COVID-19. This regulation would be in effect for two years and replace the COVID-19 Emergency Temporary...

Effective September 17, 2022, the California Department of Public Health (“CDPH”) rescinded a July 26, 2021 order, which required workers in high-risk settings, such as healthcare facilities, correctional facilities, and long term, adult, and senior care facilities, to verify their vaccination...

On July 12, 2022, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) updated guidance concerning the interaction between the COVID-19 pandemic and the equal opportunity employment laws under its jurisdiction, including most notably the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”).
The updated guidance...

This post appeared in January 2022.  It has been reviewed and is up to date.
In light of the current surge in COVID-19 cases, it is important that employers understand their obligations in the event that there is a COVID-19 outbreak at one of their workplaces.
This blog post is intended to provide...

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On January 13, 2022, the Supreme Court of the United States issued two separate rulings in matters related to COVID-19.
The purpose of this bulletin is to explain those decisions and their import for employers in California.
Court Blocks Federal Vaccination/Test Mandate
In the most anticipated...

On January 8, 2022, the California Department of Public Health (“CDPH”) issued an updated All Facilities Letter (“AFL”) to hospitals and skilled nursing facilities (“SNFs”) advising them of the temporary removal of the isolation and quarantine requirements for certain health care personnel...

On December 22, 2021, the United States Supreme Court stated that it would hear oral arguments on January 7, 2022 concerning the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) regulation that requires that employees at middle and large-sized companies either be fully vaccinated...

On December 16, 2021, the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board (OSHSB) adopted a number of amendments to the Emergency Temporary Standards (Cal/OSHA COVID-19 Regulations), which will likely take effect on December 26, 2021.
The purpose of this special bulletin is to identify and discuss...

On November 18, 2021, the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board (“OSHSB”) delayed consideration of newly proposed regulations related to vaccination, testing, and face coverings that it had previously indicated it would consider at this meeting.
The OSHSB provided that the delay was...

Partner Peter Brown and Associates Alex Volberding, Brian Dierzé and Daniel Seitz weighed in on the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) new COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard in a Nov. 15 Daily Journal column entitled “Will OSHA’s new COVID regulation reach California...

On November 4, 2021, the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) promulgated a new regulation intended to increase COVID-19 vaccination rates. President Biden previewed this regulation in September 2021 when he announced a six-part COVID-19 Action Plan to combat the spread of the...

On September 16, Governor Newson signed Assembly Bill (AB) 361 into law, amending the Ralph M. Brown Act (Brown Act) and allowing legislative bodies to continue to meet virtually during the present public health emergency. This legislative enactment was timely as the Executive Orders that...

On Thursday June 17, 2021, President Joe Biden signed legislation to make Juneteenth (June 19) a federal holiday.  A federal holiday generally means that non-essential federal government offices and services, such as the United States Postal Service, are closed. Every federal government employee is...

On June 3, 2021, the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board (OSHSB) adopted regulatory amendments to the Emergency Temporary Standards (Cal/OSHA COVID-19 Regulations), which were to take effect on June 15.
However, on June 7, OSHSB noticed a special meeting for June 9 to consider new...