California is set to reopen on June 15, 2021, however, the strict requirements on employers regarding COVID-19 cases in the workplace have not changed. This law (AB-685) adds new employer notification requirements and gives Cal-OSHA expansive authority to close workplaces based on the threat of COVID-19. They have started issuing citations ranging from $5,000 to $100,000 for serious Covid-19-related violations. With the new statute, Cal/OSHA does not have to notify employers fifteen days before issuing the citation.
The law includes three key provisions:
- Requirement for Employee notification of COVID-19 in the workplace: Under AB 685, the requirement to notify employees who may have been exposed to an infected employee is now mandatory under new Labor Code section 6409.6. Section 6409.6(a) requires an employer who receives notice of potential exposure to COVID-19 to notify any potentially exposed employees within one business day. Employers are required under the new law to keep records of the written notices provided to employees for at least three years.
- Notification of the local public health agency of outbreaks within 48 hours: If an outbreak occurs in its workplace, an employer must notify the local public health officials of the names and worksite of “qualifying individuals” within 48 hours. An “outbreak” is currently defined as: “at least three probable or confirmed COVID-19 cases within a 14-day period in people who are linked in the setting, are from different households, and are not identified as close contacts of each other in any other case investigation.”
- Authority for Cal-OSHA to close workplaces that constitute an “imminent hazard to employees”: AB 685 amends Labor Code section 6325 to permit Cal-OSHA to close workplaces that “constitute an imminent hazard to employees” due to COVID-19. Some of the notice provisions that Cal-OSHA usually must comply with before making this determination have been removed so employers must be prepared to act immediately if they receive notice.
To meet these new requirements, public and private employers will need a solution purpose-built to fight infectious disease. ReturnSafe’s platform provides human resources administrators with risk mitigation insights to effectively prevent the spread of COVID-19 at the worksite. Our automated end-to-end solution provides a full view of employee health status, contact tracing efforts needed, and allows administrators to manage notification workflows.
We provide a comprehensive set of services to enable you to create a healthier workplace. Screening, testing, contact tracing, vaccine management, and case management information is integrated into one data set so administrators can take swift and effective action to prevent outbreaks.
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