California Adopts Emergency Workplace Safety Rules for COVID-19
California has become the fourth and largest state to adopt emergency workplace protections for COVID-19. Nearly 20 million workers in California will be protected by the new mandate, which includes requirements for face masks, physical distancing and reporting of outbreaks in the workplace. Rebecca Reindel, director of occupational safety and health at the AFL-CIO, said the federal government should follow the lead of states like California. “The virus doesn’t know boundaries,” she said. “You need national leadership to set those plans.” The labor organization will be making recommendations to the Biden transition team for who should lead OSHA. President-elect Joe Biden has said he would move to create national workplace safety rules for COVID-19.