Northern California: Cal/OSHA and California Labor and Employment Law Summit 2026

Tuesday, Oct 6 | Residence Inn by Marriott Berkeley

Southern California: Cal/OSHA and California Labor and Employment Law Summit 2026

About The Event

Conn Maciel Carey LLP’s Cal/OSHA and California Labor and Employment Law Summit is an in-person program conducted by the California-based attorneys in CMC’s national Workplace Safety (OSHA & MSHA) and Labor & Employment Practice Groups to update California employers on important developments in workplace safety and health and employment law.

Learn How to Navigate California Requirements

California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) is the most aggressive and enforcement-heavy approved State OSH Program in the nation, and as a result, California employers face a host of requirements that employers in other states do not. And with a packed rulemaking agenda on the horizon, most employers stand to be impacted by at least one new standard.

In addition, California continues to experience regular changes in the labor and employment law landscape through new legislation and decisions from the California courts and the National Labor Relations Board. California employers always have something new to learn as the legislative session closes at the end of September, and we become certain of what new laws will take effect in 2027.

Our Cal/OSHA and California Labor and Employment Law Summit will cover what employers can expect in the coming months from the latest legislative and rulemaking updates to changes in enforcement priorities, and best practices for compliance.

Two Dates and Locations to Choose From

Registrants can join the program in Northern California on October 6th or in Southern California on October 8th. Each day will consist of networking, panelist sessions, and open forums to collaborate with the CMC team and your fellow attendees.

Continental breakfast, lunch, and program materials will be included with registration at both locations.

This program will be submitted to the HR Certification Institute (HRCI) and the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) for review. We will also submit the program for California CLE credits.

Multi-Event Bundle Pricing

The early bird rate (available until August 17) is $175 per person.

Discounted group rates are available! Email Theresa Jordan at tjordan@connmaciel.com for details.

Jump to Locations

2026 Agenda

9:00 am – 9:30 am PDT

Registration/Continental Breakfast/Networking

9:30 am – 9:45 am PDT

Opening Remarks

9:45 am – 10:30 am PDT

Updates on California Occupational Safety and Health Rulemaking

The California occupational safety and health landscape continues to evolve quickly, with new and revised regulations affecting both general industry and industry-specific workplaces. This session will provide an update on recent and pending activity before the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board, including what employers should be watching for through the remainder of 2026 and into 2027. Discussion will include the status of the California Walkaround Rule, Workplace Violence Prevention requirements for general industry, and other rulemaking developments that may require employers to revise policies, training, and compliance programs.

10:30 am – 10:45 am PDT

Break

10:45 am – 12:15 pm PDT

Cal/OSHA Appeals Boards and Enforcement Updates: What to Expect in 2027

Cal/OSHA is showing no signs of slowing its enforcement efforts. This session will examine current enforcement trends, agency priorities, and impact from the state audit. We will also review significant recent Appeals Board decisions and discuss how those rulings may affect citation defenses, inspection strategy, and day-to-day safety compliance for California employers.

12:15 pm – 12:30 pm PDT

Break

12:30 pm – 2:00 pm PDT

Lunch and Panel Discussion on the Crossroads of Cal/OSHA and California Employment Law: Back to Basics

Whether triggered by an employee injury, Cal/OSHA inspection, or workplace safety complaint, employers often must respond quickly while considering both Cal/OSHA regulations and employment laws. This lunch panel will walk through practical strategies for managing the intersection of Cal/OSHA and California employment law, including safety complaints, injury reporting, reasonable accommodations, inspection management, joint agency enforcement, discipline, retaliation risks, and documentation best practices. The discussion will focus on real-world scenarios and compliance steps employers can use to reduce risk before, during, and after workplace safety incidents.

2:00 pm – 2:15 pm PDT

Break

2:15 pm – 3:15 pm PDT

California Labor and Employment Update

As the legislative session comes to a close, our California labor and employment team will provide an overview of significant new laws and compliance developments affecting employers in 2026 and 2027. The session will also cover important California court decisions and agency activity that may influence workplace policies, employee relations, litigation risk, and day-to-day human resources practices.

3:15 pm – 3:30 pm PDT

Q&A and Closing Remarks

Throughout the Summit and following Closing Remarks, we welcome the opportunity to discuss any questions you may have with the Conn Maciel Carey team and collaborate with your fellow attendees.

3:30 pm – 5:00 pm PDT

Post-Event Reception

Join us for a casual gathering with drinks, conversation, and networking.

The agenda may be subject to change.

Who Should Attend?

Safety Managers
In-House Safety and Health Attorneys
In-House Employment Attorneys
C-Suite Executives
Regulatory Affairs Specialists

Operations Managers
Process Safety Consultants and Experts
Trade Association Staff
Human Resources Professionals

2026 Guest Speakers

Joseph M. Alioto Jr. is the Chair of California’s Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board (Cal/OSHA). Appointed by Governor Gavin Newsom in 2023, Joseph leads statewide efforts to safeguard workers while considering business needs. Joseph is a nationally recognized trial lawyer and public advocate with 25 years of experience representing individuals, small businesses, and executives in high-stakes cases against government and corporate overreach. As the founder of Alioto Legal, he blends his prosecutorial rigor with business acumen (JD/MBA, UC Berkeley) to pursue public-impact litigation while advising clients facing institutional and regulatory battles.

Read more about Joseph.

Rob Moutrie is a Policy Advocate for the California Chamber of Commerce. He lobbies on workplace safety issues, both at the legislature and at Cal/OSHA. Rob was one of the primary industry-side negotiators involved in California’s COVID-19 emergency regulation, as well as California’s wildfire smoke emergency regulation and others. Most recently, he was the lead industry negotiator on Senate Bill 553, which requires a workplace violence safety plan for virtually all California employers and went into effect in July 2024.

Read more about Rob.