As California moved forward with reopening most of its economy on June 15, 2021, many employers in the state were left wondering whether and when the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (“Cal/OSHA”), the state agency tasked with regulating workplaces to protect public health and safety, would update its regulations to conform to the latest guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”) and the California Department of Public Health (“CDPH”) for vaccinated individuals.  Although Cal/OSHA had previously voted to adopt proposed revisions to the COVID-19 emergency temporary standards (“ETS”) which had been in effect since November 30, 2020, Cal/OSHA subsequently voted to withdraw the proposed revisions and offered to make further revisions in light of updated CDPH face covering guidance and other concerns raised by Board members.

Relief finally arrived on June 17, 2021, in the form of revised Cal/OSHA regulations that track the state’s latest COVID-19 public health guidance and instruct California employers regarding rapidly changing state policies on requiring masks, proof of vaccination, and physical distancing in the workplace.  Following the Cal/OSHA Board’s adoption of the revised regulations, Governor Newsom issued an executive order allowing them to take effect immediately on June 17.

Among the regulations’ biggest changes are the removal of physical distancing and physical partitioning requirements in the workplace, regardless of employees’ vaccinations status, with certain limited exceptions for COVID-19 outbreaks. 

In addition to greatly limiting physical distancing and physical partitioning requirements in the workplace, the revised ETS do away with face covering requirements for all employees working outdoors, regardless of vaccination status, with certain exceptions for outbreaks.  Fully vaccinated employees no longer need to wear face coverings indoors, with certain exceptions for public transit, classrooms, health care and long-term care settings, correctional and detention facilities, and homeless shelters.  Vaccinated employees who wish to go mask-less in the workplace must document their vaccination status in one of two ways: (1) by either providing proof of vaccination to their employer; or (2) by self-attesting to their vaccination status.  Employers are required to record the vaccination status of any employee not wearing a face covering indoors and must keep these records confidential. 

Face coverings continue to be required indoors and in vehicles for unvaccinated employees, and employers are now required, upon request, to provide unvaccinated employees with approved respirators for voluntary use when those employees are working indoors or in a vehicle with others.  When there is a major outbreak of COVID-19 in the workplace, employers must offer respirators to employees regardless of vaccination status and without waiting for a request from the employee.  Employers must also offer COVID-19 testing at no cost to any symptomatic, unvaccinated employees, regardless of whether there is a known exposure to COVID-19, in addition to unvaccinated employees after an exposure, vaccinated employees after an exposure if they develop symptoms, unvaccinated employees in an outbreak, and all employees in a major outbreak.