Vigilant member states are reopening at different rates, some on a statewide basis and some on a county-by-county basis as efforts to control the spread of COVID-19 (coronavirus) appear to be having an impact. Here’s a summary of the reopening status of each state: Arizona: Businesses are open, with restrictions, as of May…
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in partnership with the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), has issued interim guidance for manufacturers to protect workers from COVID-19 (coronavirus). The CDC partnered with OSHA to create the guidance. The guidance explains that workers in manufacturing may have an…
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The U.S. Department of Homeland Security recently announced a temporary final rule that gives food processors more flexibility in hiring foreign workers under an H-2B visa (temporary nonagricultural work), in an effort to address worker shortages during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. The new rule allows workers who are already legally…
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Cal/OSHA has been updating and expanding its guidance for specific industries on how to protect workers from COVID-19 (coronavirus). We previously reported on guidance for the construction and logistics industries. According to the web page for Cal/OSHA Guidance on Requirements to Protect Workers from Coronavirus, those documents were updated on May 5,…
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The Washington Division of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) has temporarily updated its directive on N95 filtering facepieces and respirator/face covering selection during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak. We previously reported that the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) temporarily relaxed rules on respirator fit-testing, training, and other respiratory protection…
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The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) have issued a rule that requires all group health plans, disability plans, other employee welfare benefit plans, and employee pension benefit plans subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) or the federal tax code to extend…
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The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced that it’s delaying the deadline for the 2019 EEO-1 Report for a full year, so it will be due in March 2021. The 2019 data should have been due on March 31, 2020, but the EEOC never got the submission portal up and running. The…
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Cal/OSHA recently issued safety guidance for the construction and logistics industries, to protect workers from COVID-19 (coronavirus). The guidance documents don’t impose any new obligations; they offer ideas to help California employers address COVID-19 in their Injury and Illness Prevention Programs (IIPPs). Because the virus is widespread in California communities, Cal/OSHA says…
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The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has directed its compliance officers to consider the good faith efforts of employers who are unable to fully comply with federal safety requirements to conduct audits, reviews, training, or assessments due to COVID-19 (coronavirus). The agency provides several examples. In situations where you…
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OSHA has been issuing safety alerts tailored to specific industries, to help employers protect workers from exposure to COVID-19 (coronavirus). The tips in the alerts aren’t particularly earth-shaking but nonetheless may be useful to review to ensure you’ve at least covered the basics in your safety efforts. So far, the alerts cover…
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