Author, Sam Brown, Vice President of the Human Services Group, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services Inc.
On September 17th, 2020 Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law Senate Bill 1159 (SB 1159) and Assembly Bill 685 (AB 685), both COVID-19 related bills.
Both pieces of legislation will impact how employers respond to incidents of COVID-19 infections. This article will help business owners and officers understand AB 685’s heightened occupational health and safety rules. Employers also need to understand how AB 685 grants California’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (Cal/OSHA) greater enforcement powers.
Posting Requirements
AB 685 requires California employers to provide the following four notices within one business day of being informed of a potential COVID-19 exposure:
Provide a written notice to all employees, and to the employers of subcontracted employees, who were at the same worksite within the infectious period, notifying the employee that they may have been exposed to COVID-19. It must be reasonable to assume the employees will receive the notice within one day, whether that is through email, text, or written notification.
If the employee population includes represented employees, then the employer must also send notice to the exclusive representative of the affected bargaining unit.
The employer must also provide notice of any COVID-19 related benefits or leave rights under federal, state, and local laws, or in accordance with employer policy. The employer must also notify employees of their protections against retaliation and discrimination.
The employer must notify all employers, the employers of subcontracted employees, and any exclusive representative, of the employer’s plan to complete a disinfection and safety plan in accordance with federal Centers for Disease Control guidelines.
Employers are required to maintain records of these notices for at least three years. Failure to comply with the notice requirements may result in a civil penalty.
If an employer learns of an “outbreak” as defined by the California Department of Public Health (“CDPH”), the employer must also notify the appropriate public health agency within 48 hours with the names, occupation, and worksite of any “qualifying individuals” related to the “outbreak.”
Two exceptions to the notice and reporting requirements:
Health facilities as defined in Section 1250 of the Health and Safety Code, are not required to report an “outbreak” within 48 hours.
The notice requirements do not apply to exposures by employees whose regular duties include COVID-19 testing and screening, or care to individuals who have or who are suspected to have COVID-19, unless the “qualifying individual” is also an employee at the same worksite.
Authorized Shutdown
Under AB 685, if Cal/OSHA determines that a workplace or operation within a workplace exposes employees to a risk of COVID-19 infection, creating an imminent hazard to employees, Cal/OSHA is authorized to prohibit entry to the workplace or the performance of operation in question.
If your organization would benefit from guidance on these new employer requirements, please contact Rancho Mesa Insurance at (619) 937-0175.
Sources:
https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201920200AB685