COVID-19 Cases on the Rise Again

COVID-19 Cases on the Rise Again

With summer in the rearview mirror and fall just around the corner, don't lose sight of California's latest COVID regulations. The CDC estimates that COVID-19 infections are growing or likely growing in 27 states including California, and with flu season around the corner this uptick trend is likely to continue. Experts report a stronger and longer lasting COVID than we've seen in recent months. Be prepared to manage positive COVID cases and refresh your leadership team's knowledge of their responsibilities.

Although the world at large may have entered into a more relaxed phase of regulations, California employers are still mandated to follow special guidelines under Cal/OSHA's COVID-19 Prevention Non-Emergency Regulations. These regulations went into effect on February 3, 2023, will remain in effect until February 3, 2025 (almost six more months), while other record-keeping obligations will remain in effect through February 3, 2026.

Requirements for (Non-Healthcare) Employers

• Create and maintain an individual written COVID Prevention Plan. Cal/OSHA has posted a Model COVID-19 Prevention Program template on its website for employers to use.
• Provide COVID training to employees on your company's specific policies and procedures.
• Make testing available at no cost to employees who had a "close contact" with an infectious person (as defined in Cal/OSHA's ETS), and when your workplace is experiencing an "outbreak."
• Exclude certain workers from the workplace until they are no longer an infection risk.
• Maintain records of COVID cases, and report serious illnesses and outbreaks to Cal/OSHA, and to the local health department when required.

All of these guidelines and several more resources are included in our free, user-friendly COVID-19 Toolkit, available to all CEA members. As recent trends indicate, COVID infection rates tend to fluctuate in cycles. The CEA toolkit is constantly being evaluated and updated for the latest information and employer requirements so that when you need it, it is current and compliant. This is one more way CEA offers its members peace of mind.

For questions regarding the toolkit or membership, contact CEA at 1-800-399-5331 or at [email protected].