When employees are injured on the job, they are eligible for workers’ compensation benefits, but not if the accident occurs on their commute to or from work — in most cases, at least. But how about if an employee is injured in your parking lot, or while running an errand for you after work? There…
After issuing emergency regulations in November, Cal/OSHA began to step up its enforcement of COVID-19 protections in California workplaces. The types of business being cited cut across many sectors. Although most are focused on health care settings, the inspections are also sweeping up retailers, restaurants, fitness centers, agricultural operations, food processing, and other manufacturing settings.…
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound effect on the nation’s workforce, and one of the biggest changes is in the amount of people that are now working from home. A new survey has found that the majority of working professionals who were forced to start working remotely due to the pandemic would like to…
As more Americans work from home than ever before, many employers are wondering about their obligations under OSHA as well as how to reduce the chances that workers may be injured while telecommuting. Obviously, the chances of an injury when working from home are small. The most common issue that is likely to arise long-term…
Due to confusion among California employers, Cal/OSHA has revised guidance for the emergency COVID-19 regulations that took effect on Nov. 30, 2020. Under the emergency regulations, employers were required to take a number of actions to safeguard their workers against the coronavirus, but the rules have caused much confusion among businesses. Guidance issued in December…
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, so does the number of workplace-related lawsuits filed by workers across the country against their employers. The pandemic laid the groundwork for new local, state, and federal laws and regulations governing a number of workplace issues like workplace safety, family and medical leave, and remote work. And it created new…
Employers with 10 or more employees must post their completed Cal/OSHA Form 300A by Feb. 1 and keep it posted in their workplace until April 30. The form must be posted where the company usually posts other employee notices, like minimum wage and workplace safety notices. Form 300A summarizes the total number of fatalities, missed…
With so many people working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic, logic would dictate that instances of workplace sexual harassment would have plummeted since people are not in the office or any other facility together. Logic would be wrong. Sexual harassment of employees by other employees or superiors has moved online, according to recent reports.…
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has affirmed that employers can mandate COVID-19 vaccines for employees, subject to some limitations. The EEOC’s updated guidance offers direction regarding employer-mandated vaccinations, accommodations for employees who cannot be vaccinated due to a disability or sincerely held religious belief, and certain implications of pre-vaccination medical screening questions under the Americans…
The commercial insurance rate hikes that have been ongoing since 2017 are expected to continue into 2021 with double-digit increases for most lines of insurance, according to a new report. The survey of insurance executives by Alera Group Inc. forecasts that commercial rates will increase across all lines nationwide by an average of 11.6% this…