In the wake of seven workers dying from heat illness indoors between 2010 and 2017, Cal/OSHA began pushing for rules obligating employers to provide indoor heat safety measures. On June 21, 2024, the Cal/OSHA Standards Board adopted a new Standard to Protect Workers from Indoor Heat. This new rule applies to any indoor workplace
Adam Roseman, shareholder in GT’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Practice, is quoted in Bloomberg Law’s June 12, 2024, article “Chemical Makers, Employers Brace for OSHA ‘HazCom’ Rule Fallout.”
The article discusses OSHA’s final rule updating its Hazard Communication Standard, which goes into effect July 19, 2024. A May 2024 GT Alert
On May 20, 2024, the U.S. Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) issued a final rule updating its Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) (29 CFR 1910.1200). The final rule takes effect July 19, 2024.
OSHA’s HCS aims to ensure chemical safety in the workplace by requiring chemical manufacturers or importers to classify the hazards
On or before July 1, 2024, most California employers must establish a Workplace Violence Prevention Plan (WVPP) in addition to their Injury, Illness & Prevention Programs. Employers also need to provide training on their WVPP and keep prescribed records.
Continue Reading Coming to California Workplaces this Summer – Workplace Violence Prevention Plans
With California SB 553’s July 1, 2024 implementation deadline only about nine months away, and given the increase in gun violence – and violence generally – in public places like grocery stores, places of worship, and movie theaters, CA employers should establish and implement a Workplace Violence Prevention Plan sooner than later.
Continue Reading Non-Health Care California Employers Will Soon Need to Comply with Workplace Violence Prevention Requirements
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) released its long-awaited proposed guidance on workplace harassment, which includes advice to employers concerning online misconduct, LGBTQ rights, and abortion issues. The guidance is open for public comment until Nov. 1, 2023. This is the first guidance the EEOC has issued on harassment since its 1999 “Enforcement Guidance
In a significant development for employers, on July 10, 2023, California Governor Newsom revitalized the Industrial Welfare Commission (IWC) by allocating it $3,000,000 as part of the state’s 2023 budget bill (AB 102). AB 102 takes effect immediately. The IWC is a quasi-legislative agency within the California Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) established to investigate
On July 13, 2023, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced a National Emphasis Program (NEP) to prevent workplace hazards in warehouses, processing facilities, distribution centers, and high-risk retail establishments like hardware stores and supermarkets. OSHA’s NEPs are temporary programs that focus OSHA resources on particular hazards and high-hazard industries.
The California State Legislature gave employers many new bills to address on Jan. 1, 2023 (see GT Alert), but not all appear in the Labor Code. One bill that “flies under the radar” is AB 1632 – a restroom-access bill that impacts California employers with employee restrooms.
AB 1632, which is codified
California employers know the holidays bring chilly nights (by California standards), holiday cheer, decked halls, and… ringing in the New Year with a host of new employment laws and compliance challenges. Here’s a summary of what we believe are some key aspects of new legislation that employers should be aware of before popping the bubbly