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

Duplin Winery and Folds of Honor Partnering on Two New Wines to Honor U.S. Armed Forces & First Responders

New wines debuting at all Duplin locations on Armed Forces Day ROSE HILL, N.C. (May 15, 2024) – Duplin Winery, the South’s oldest & largest winery, is proud to announce […]

Usually, California employers need to be prepared for the possibility of new employment laws signed during the legislative session, which adjourned on August 31. This year, there was some additional wrangling in the legislature that took a little longer. But, as expected, Governor Newsome signed several bills expanding employee workplace protections on September 29th and 30th. Below are the top laws that we believe could impact our clients. Read on, the fun has just begun! Before you start, we suggest you have your heartburn medication handy, or maybe some coffee or some other drink of choice. . . we’re HR people, and can’t tell you what kind of drink to choose, but we think you might already know. Ok, ready? Set? Here we go. . . 1. COVID-Related Bills: AB 152, AB 2693, and AB 1751 California COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave Effective now through the end of the 2022 (But you’re already compliant, right?) Ok, we know, we’re all done with COVID, right? N

In the aftermath of recent natural disasters, it’s become clear that power outages threaten facilities across California, including fire departments. The South Placer Fire District in Granite Bay, CA, recognized the risk and concluded that all of their fire facilities needed backup generators to ensure their readiness. That is where CD & Power was asked to step in. Situation Fire stations are critical infrastructure in any community. Whether responding to emergencies, fighting fires, or providing first aid and emergency medical care, fire stations play a crucial role in keeping our communities safe. Fire stations are also essential to the “first responder” network. Firefighters, police officers, and EMS personnel can be called upon to assist at any time of day or night. When fire stations experience a power outage, first responders can be delayed in reaching their destinations, endangering the people they are trying to help. Therefore, every fire station must

Water Concern The Annual SVB Winery Conditions Survey has been open for one week and will close on October 15th. We currently have about 200 of the 1,000 responses we will need for thorough analysis. You can get us closer to 1,000 responses by participating this year. Even with low initial participation, there is some preliminary information coming into focus.  Water is clearly a worry with 42% of responders expressing concern they may have a serious problem in 2022, while 51% are on edge but believe they should be fine (headline slide). That leaves only about 7% feeling confident about water supply going into next year which tells us for these responders - water is a real concern. It will be interesting to test this in the spring when rain totals come into focus because from all I've read, we will need a flood year with heavy snowpack to see improving reservoir levels and soil moisture content in the western states. And what are the chances of having an abnormally wet year?

Santa Rosa Employers Now Have Increased Sick Pay Responsibility Effective immediately, the Santa Rosa City Council voted to increase sick pay and include more employers under the recently passed Families First Coronavirus Response Act (“FFCRA”). The FFCRA is a federal law that provides employees with two key benefits: (1) up to 80 hours of Emergency Sick Leave for employees experiencing COVID-19 related illness, taking care of family members with the illness, or who lack childcare due to school and daycare closures; and (2) up to 10 weeks of Expanded FMLA leave for childcare due to school and daycare closures. The FFCRA requires employers to pay the full wages of employees who need time off for their own or a family member’s illness up to a maximum of $511/day; and 2/3 of wages up to $200/day for absences due to lack of childcare. Employers who pay these benefits are then entitled to a dollar-for-dollar tax credit reduction on their payroll taxes. The FFCRA specifical

Don Schumacher Racing (DSR) and Don Schumacher Precision Manufacturing (DSM) has named Atlas Copco the company’s official compressed air technology partner for the fifth consecutive year. Atlas Copco Compressors LLC – a global leader in sustainable productivity – will provide high-quality air compressors, dryers, and accessories to drag racing's winningest team and its manufacturing arm through the partnership. “The two ingredients we rely on for our racing operations and manufacturing centers are electricity and compressed air," said Mike Lewis, senior vice president at DSR. “Atlas Copco has been a reliable partner for many years providing quiet, efficient, compressed air at both our headquarters and on the track.” Atlas Copco’s partnership with the company began in 2016 when DSR/DSM expanded the race shop and machining center, installing a new Atlas Copco, the GA 26 VSD+ air compressor system. The GA VSD+ series continues to provide