Cal/OSHA Again Delays a Vote to Adopt the Federal ETS But Provides Additional Cal/OSHA ETS Guidance

At the start of their January 20th meeting, the Cal/OSHA Standards Board announced they would not consider the proposal to adopt the federal ETS, also known as a Horcher proposal.  This comes shortly after the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a stay on the federal Emergency Temporary Standard.

If this feels like déjà vu, you are not alone.  The Cal/OSHA Standards Board previously was considering adopting the federal ETS at its November 18, 2021 meeting.  The Board delayed that proposal when the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeal reaffirmed its initial stay of the federal ETS.

While the adoption of the federal ETS is on the back burner for now, employers still need to be familiar with the amendments to the Cal/OSHA COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard (Cal/OSHA ETS) which went into effect on January 14, 2022, and expires on April 14, 2022.

To assist employers in complying with the amended Cal/OSHA ETS, Cal/OSHA has updated their guidance, which is linked below:

• COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standards Frequently Asked Questions

• Revisions to the COVID-19 Prevention Emergency Temporary Standards (effective January 14, 2022) Frequently Asked Questions

• What Employers Need to Know about the December 16 Standards

• What Employers and Workers Need to Know about COVID-19 Isolation and Quarantine