Effective July 1, 2024, a new California law requires most employers to have a written Workplace Violence Prevention Plan (WVPP). This law applies to all employers with workplaces that are accessible to the public (with few exceptions). Key components to a Workplace Violence Prevention Plan include: Assessment of workplace violence risks at the workplace; Directives on how to report incidents, threats or concerns and how they will be investigated; Initial training and annual trainings thereafter; Maintenance of violent incident log (5 year retention); and No retaliation for reporting violence. Cal/OSHA published both an employer and employee fact sheet which provides guidance on new responsibilities under the law. Employers that haven’t already done so should take steps now to create a WVPP tailored to their workplace, including adapting it to different facilities and work sites. Once employers have a WVPP established, they should take steps to train employees as soon as possible

The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) approved a long-awaited indoor heat-illness standard on June 20, 2024. Before going live, the Office of Administrative Law (OAL) will have 30 days to approve or deny the standard. Cal/OSHA has requested that it go into effective immediately after OAL approval, so it could very well go live in a month. The standard, Section 3396, requires employers with indoor workspaces of 87 degrees Fahrenheit and above to reduce the room temperature and offer workers other cool-down options. For indoor workers who wear poor ventilating protective clothing or work near a heat source, employers will instead have to provide cool-down options when the inside temperature reaches 82 degrees Fahrenheit. What California Employers Will Need to Prepare While California has had an outdoor heat illness standard since 2006, indoor workers have been left unprotected. Cal/OSHA has been developing this rule since 2017 but has se

On January 9, 2024, the California Department of Health (CDPH) issued an order changing COVID-19 related definitions. These revisions apply to the Cal/OSHA Non-Emergency Regulations, which are still in place until February 3, 2025 and must be followed by all employers in California. The questions and answers below reflect the updated rules and definitions that currently apply in the workplace. You can read more about the changes on Cal/OSHA’s FAQ page here, which is updated regularly. COVID-19 Updates for California Employers as of January 2024 What is the current definition of the “infectious period” for employees who test positive for COVID-19? For COVID-19 cases with symptoms, the “infectious period” is a minimum of 24 hours from the day of symptom onset. Under the current regulations, there is no infectious period for COVID-19 cases with no symptoms. If an employee tests positive, are they required to be excluded from the workplace?   If an employ

Happy New Year! It is time to dust off the employee handbook, review your policies and procedures, and make sure they comply with all the new laws, regulations, and interpretations that have either already gone into effect or will in early 2024. Below, we have identified our “top 10(ish)” changes.  Please keep in mind there were hundreds of laws, regulations, and changes implemented at the local, state, and federal levels throughout 2023.  So, if you need a handbook/policy review or have any questions, please call.  1. California and Local Minimum Wage Raised – In addition to the gradual increase to minimum wage by the state, several Sonoma County cities have increased minimum wage beyond that required by the state.  Below is a table that describes the state and local city requirements:                     Locality Effective Date All Employers California 1/1/2024 $16.00 Santa Rosa 1/1/

With the start of the new year, it is time to dust off the employee handbook, review your policies and procedures, and make sure they comply with all the new laws, regulations, and interpretations that have either already gone into effect or will in early 2023. Below, we have identified our “top 10” changes. Please keep in mind there were hundreds of laws, regulations, and changes implemented at the local, state, and federal levels throughout 2022.  So, if you need a handbook/COVID-19 policy review or have any questions, please call. 1. California and Local Minimum Wage Raised – In addition to the gradual increase to minimum wage that has been in effect under California law, several Sonoma County cities have increased minimum wage beyond that required by the state. Below is a table that describes the state and local city requirements: Locality Effective Date Employers With 26 Or More Employees Employers With Less Than 26 Employees California 1/1/2023 $15.5

Connect with us at booths #1902 & A2502 at the 2022 Unified Wine & Grape Symposium. Stop by to talk to our specialists about how integrated HR/payroll/benefits technology and services can streamline processes & make your life easier. Payroll/HR California Payroll, an HR technology, timekeeping, and payroll provider, is highlighting its integrated payroll/HR/benefits solutions for agriculture, wine, and agriculture-related businesses. Our enhanced technology products help streamline efficiencies for employers. Our enhanced HR/payroll technology includes: Robust payroll and human resource software Labor allocation & job cost tracking Compliant Farm Labor Contractor (FLC) payroll solutions Time & attendance solutions (time clocks, mobile timekeeping, and geofencing) Payroll integrations for workers’ compensation, 401(k)/CalSavers, benefits management, time & attendance, and field labor tracking Talent acquisition services (Applicant Tracking, Onboarding, and

As another scorching summer is upon us, Cal/OSHA is reminding employers with outdoor workers to take precautions to protect them against the heat. California employers need to be especially mindful as Cal/OSHA has workplace safety regulations governing the prevention of heat illness. The agency actively enforces its heat illness prevention standard. Employers should also comply for the safety and well-being of their workers, as heat illness can be deadly. CAL/OSHA IS URGING EMPLOYERS TO TAKE THE FOLLOWING STEPS TO PREVENT HEAT-RELATED ILLNESS AMONG THEIR EMPLOYEES WHO WORK OUTDOORS: Plan – Develop and implement an effective written heat illness prevention plan (HIPP) that is specific and customized to your operations. The plan must include the following heat illness prevention and response procedures: Training – Train all employees and supervisors on heat illness prevention. Nobody should be working outside in heat if they have not been trained in heat illness prevention an

Afternoon Brief, June 20th

Cal/OSHA Safety Board Denies Monarch Tractor Petition to Modify Regulations Regarding Autonomous Tractor Use: Current California safety regulations under the California Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) written in the 1970s require a human operator to be stationed at the vehicular controls for all self-propelled tractors used in agricultural operations, thus presenting a regulatory roadblock to the use of autonomous, driver optional tractors that are being developed, marketed and trialed for use in California's vineyards and farmlands...

On February 9, 2022, Governor Newsom signed the new COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave law (SB-114), which is retroactive to January 1, 2022 and extends through September 30, 2022. Similar to the previous law that provided COVID-19 supplemental paid sick leave and expired last year, the new COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave law requires employers in California with 26 or more employees to provide up to a total of 80 hours of paid sick leave to employees for certain COVID-19 related reasons. While we expect updated FAQs on the new law from the DIR soon, the key details from the statute are included below. 26+ Employees: The law requires employers with 26 or more employees to provide supplemental paid sick leave for certain COVID-19 related reasons. Retroactive to January 1 and through September 30: The requirement to provide the paid sick leave will take effect on February 19 (10 days after the law was signed by the Governor), at which point it will be retroactive to January 1 an

The law is effective February 19, 2022 and retroactive to January 1, 2022. While the new legislation is similar to California’s prior bill (SB 95), which expired September 30, 2021, there are some notable differences this time around. WHICH EMPLOYERS DOES THE NEW LAW APPLY TO? Like SB 95, the new law applies to employers with “more than 25 employees.” Smaller employers will not be covered but may be covered by local supplemental paid sick leave ordinances. HOW LONG WILL THE LAW BE IN EFFECT? SB 114 will be in effect through September 30, 2022. HOW MUCH LEAVE DOES THE LAW PROVIDE? Like SB 95, the new law provides up to 80 hours of SPSL for full-time employees. However, SB 114 is different in that it establishes two “buckets” of up to 40 hours of leave for different purposes and with different requirements. Bucket # 1 – Up to 40 Hours for COVID Qualifying Reasons The first category of leave provides for up to 40 hours of leave for a number of COVID-19