The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued new COVID-19 guidance Aug. 11, seeming to acknowledge that the virus is here to stay. The agency seems to be shifting “its focus from viral containment to lessening the risk of severe illness and death associated with the virus,” according to attorneys Corbin Carter and […]
Cal/OSHA updated its COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) FAQ page July 18 to address the California Department of Public Health’s (CDPH) revised definition of the term “close contact.” The CDPH updated the definition in early June, stating that close contact was “someone sharing the same indoor airspace (e.g., home, clinic waiting room, airplane, etc.) for […]
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) updated its COVID-19 FAQ page July 12, limiting COVID testing in the workplace just as coronavirus cases are rising once again. However, the guidance doesn’t offer a lot of specifics and it still defers to current guidance from other agencies such as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control […]
In an effort to better support workers dealing with symptoms of long COVID, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Surgeon General are seeking public input on the condition. Beginning July 12, the agencies are inviting the public to join a national online dialogue to gather ideas for […]
JBS Foods reached a settlement agreement with OSHA to develop and use infectious disease preparedness plans at seven of its meat processing plants. This stems from two COVID-19 outbreaks at two plants in 2020. The agreement involves the company assembling a team of company and third-party experts to create the plan and put it into […]
An employee who was fired for going to work while sick with COVID-19 cannot pursue a disability discrimination lawsuit against her former employer, according to a May 16, 2022, court decision. The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California found in favor of the employer because the worker’s COVID symptoms were mild and […]
One million have died from COVID-19 in the U.S., and the National Safety Council says employers should reevaluate workplace COVID-19 policies. With much of the nation’s workforce returning to in-person work, the NSC is urging employers to take responsibility for the physical and psychological safety of workers. “Losing more than 1 million lives to COVID-19 […]
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has an online calculator to help individuals determine how long they need to isolate, quarantine or take other precautions to prevent spreading COVID-19. This tool uses information about when someone was exposed to COVID-19, their vaccination status and any symptoms that are being experienced to provide […]
Cal/OSHA has new fact sheets and updated FAQs on California’s COVID-19 emergency temporary standard (ETS) posted on its website, reflecting recent changes made to the standard. The agency officially updated the ETS on April 21, 2022, and promised that new information clarifying certain parts of the standard would be forthcoming. Facts sheets and FAQs include: […]
