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The backstitch HR law blog is a monthly series where we provide the latest updates on upcoming and recently in-effect legislation. Here are short snippets of State, Federal, and Global changes in HR and employment law, so your organization can be prepared for changes this month.
California
Cal/OSHA has updated their emergency temporary standards for COVID-19 on May 6. It consolidated the definition of "close contact" and "infectious period" to align with the definition used by the California Department of Public Health.
It also removes the mandatory requirement for face coverings on unvaccinated employees and instead consolidates requirements for all employees regardless of vaccination status. Instead, face coverings is only required for emergency shelters, cooling and heating centers, healthcare, correctional facilities, homeless shelters and longterm care and senior care facilities.
Cleaning protocols have also been removed. Testing must now be available to all employees with COVID-19 symptoms. Finally, employees who test positive can return to work after 5 days if they receive a negative test, with retreating symptoms and a face covering. All other employees may return after 10 days.
The California Department of Industrial Relations provides a comprehensive list of all changes.
New York
If an employer in New York utilizes electronic monitoring of their worker's activity, they must notify that employee during the hiring process. A notice of the practice must also be in a conspicuous location. However, there are a few exemptions. This does not include actions related solely to the maintenance or protection of systems or tools that manage the volume of outgoing communications. This law takes into effect on May 23, 2022.
New York City's salary disclosure law, originally intending to go into effect on May 15, has instead been postponed to November 1. This requires that employers must state a salary range for all job postings, promotions or transfers. However, remote jobs that are not located within New York City are exempt.
