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Showing posts for: COVID-19

Jul 01 2021
COVID-19OregonSafety and Health

OREGON: Workplace mask and distancing rules lifted

Governor Kate Brown issued an executive order rescinding mask, distancing, and other COVID-19-related restrictions for the general public in Oregon, effective Wednesday, June 30, 2021. Also on June 30, Oregon OSHA published its revised Rule Addressing Covid-19 Workplace Risks, which eliminates the requirements for workplace masks and distancing (regardless of employees’ vaccination status), with certain…

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Jun 17 2021
COVID-19Hiring

Form I-9 remote inspection extended again, until August 31, 2021

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced on May 26, 2021, that the Department of Homeland Security is again extending its temporary relaxation of the standards for physically inspecting a new worker’s employment eligibility documents when completing the Form I-9, and is adding flexibility for individual remote hires. This is the tenth extension of the relaxed standard, which…

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Jun 17 2021
COVID-19Safety and HealthWashington

WASHINGTON: Industry-specific COVID-19 requirements lifted

As of June 11, 2021, Governor Jay Inslee has removed Washington’s industry-specific COVID-19 (coronavirus) requirements for certain industries, including manufacturing, construction, outdoor maintenance, and several recreation industries. Employers in these industries are now only required to follow the Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) general COVID-19 workplace safety requirements. L&I’s general requirements were recently updated…

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Jun 17 2021
COVID-19Oregon

OREGON: OHA again allows for shortened quarantine

In updated Statewide Isolation and Quarantine Guidance issued on June 4, 2021, the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) is again allowing a shortened quarantine period for people who have had close contact with a confirmed positive COVID-19 (coronavirus) case. While OHA continues to recommend a 14-day quarantine period for employees who have come in close contact…

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Jun 17 2021
COVID-19CaliforniaSafety and Health

CALIFORNIA: Cal/OSHA proposes changes to COVID-19 rules

June 17, 2021, the California Occupational Safety & Health Standards Board (OSHSB) approved revisions to Cal/OSHA’s COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standards (ETS) for non-health care workplaces. (We summarized the original ETS here and reported on the related FAQs here.) The OSHSB will now send the proposal to the Office of Administrative Law (OAL) for final review….

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Jun 17 2021
COVID-19Safety and HealthWage and Hour

OSHA issues COVID-19 workplace rule for health care employers

The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has released an emergency temporary rule to prevent the spread of COVID-19 (coronavirus) for employers that provide health care services. The new rule applies to most employers that provide health care services or health care support services. OSHA has published a helpful guide for employers to determine…

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Jun 17 2021
COVID-19CaliforniaLeave Laws

CALIFORNIA: Sonoma County extends and expands EPSL

The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors has enacted an urgency ordinance extending the county’s COVID-19 (coronavirus) emergency paid sick leave ordinance (EPSL) through September 30, 2021, and expanding several areas of EPSL protection. As we previously reported, the original Sonoma County EPSL expired on December 31, 2020, but was extended through June 30, 2021 (see…

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Jun 17 2021
COVID-19Leave Laws

IRS updates FAQs for paid leave tax credits under ARPA

The IRS recently updated their FAQs to address tax credits available to eligible employers who voluntarily provide leave under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) between April 1, and September 30, 2021, pursuant to the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA). As we previously reported, ARPA extended the optional FFCRA tax credits through September…

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Jun 03 2021
COVID-19Disability

EEOC updates vaccination guidance

On May 28, 2021, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) revised its online publication, What You Should Know About COVID-19 and the ADA, the Rehabilitation Act, and Other EEO Laws, clarifying and building on its prior vaccination guidance (see our prior reporting on that guidance here). Although the EEOC didn’t specifically answer the question…

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Jun 03 2021
COVID-19CaliforniaSafety and Health

CALIFORNIA: Santa Clara County says to check vaccination status

On May 18, 2021, the Santa Clara County Public Health Department issued an order that requires businesses in the county to check all workers’ COVID-19 (coronavirus) vaccination status. The order took effect on May 19, 2021. For anyone who isn’t fully vaccinated, you must check back at least every 14 days to see if they’re…

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Jun 03 2021
COVID-19CaliforniaLeave Laws

CALIFORNIA: L.A. County requires paid leave for COVID vaccinations

On May 18, 2021, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors passed an ordinance requiring employers in unincorporated areas of the county to provide up to four hours of paid leave to employees who need time off related to receiving the COVID-19 (coronavirus) vaccine. The ordinance took effect immediately but applies retroactively to January 1,…

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Jun 03 2021
COVID-19Safety and HealthWashington

WASHINGTON: Worker housing rules updated for vaccinated occupants

On May 28, 2021, Washington's Departments of Labor & Industries (L&I) and Health updated the existing COVID-19 (coronavirus) safety rules for temporary worker housing (TWH) in the agriculture industry to lift certain restrictions for fully vaccinated workers. These revisions coincide with updated agriculture workplace requirements issued by Governor Jay Inslee, adding exceptions for fully vaccinated employees. Both…

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