Presented by the Cal/OSHA Team in Conn Maciel Carey’s national OSHA Practice Group

Even while Cal/OSHA was working away on a General Industry Workplace Violence Prevention Rule, on September 30, 2023, California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed SB 553 – a sweeping new law addressing Workplace Violence Prevention in virtually all California workplaces. California employers (unless they fall under one of the limited exemptions) will be required by July 1, 2024 to establish, implement, and maintain an “effective” written workplace violence prevention plan, investigate every incident workplace violence (broadly defined), create and maintain violent incident logs, conduct annual employee and supervisor training, and abide by additional recordkeeping requirements. The new law also expands the circumstances and parties who may seek workplace violence restraining orders on behalf of employees and broadens workplace violence restraining orders to also include harassment. Finally, the law requires Cal/OSHA to finalize the Workplace Violence Prevention rule that it has been crafting in short order.

Employers will need to work quickly to understand their new compliance obligations and develop and implement the onerous new requirements. This program will be a deep dive into the background of this new law, the new requirements, the other employment laws implicated by implementing a workplace violence prevention program, what to expect from Cal/OSHA moving forward, and tips and strategies for employers.

Participants in this webinar will learn about:

• The requirements of the Workplace Violence Prevention law

• Landmines awaiting employers as they move into compliance with the new law

• Strategies for developing compliant workplace violence prevention programs

• The intersection between this new Workplace Violence legislation and Cal/OSHA’s ongoing workplace violence rulemaking

Click here to register for this webinar.

The request for 1.00 General California Minimum Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) credit is pending approval.

Presented by the Cal/OSHA Team in Conn Maciel Carey’s national OSHA Practice Group

Cal/OSHA and the California legislature have focused significant efforts on extending workplace mandates, in particular workplace violence prevention and indoor heat illness prevention. This annual update will cover the workplace safety mandates that have been recently adopted or are under consideration.

Participants in this webinar will learn about:

• Senate Bill 553, which requires employers in general industry to implement effective workplace violence prevention plans by July 1, 2024

• The status of Cal/OSHA’s rulemaking on indoor heat illness prevention, expected to be up for a vote before the Cal/OSH Standards Board in early 2024

• Other regulatory developments from the Cal/OSH Standards Board, such as the status of the rulemaking for a general infectious disease standard, lead, silica and more

• An overview of federal OSHA programs that may impact Cal/OSHA, including walking working surfaces, the warehouse emphasis program, and union walkaround inspection rights rulemaking

• Other updates following the Cal/OSHA Advisory Committee’s November 30, 2023 meeting

Click here to register for this webinar.

The request for 1.00 General California Minimum Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) credit is pending approval.

Presented by Rachel L. Conn, Megan S. Shaked, and Andrea O. Chavez

Although temperatures have cooled down in California, the status of California’s Indoor Heat Illness Prevention Regulation has heated up. California’s Heat Illness Prevention in Outdoor Places (8 CCR 3395) has been in place since 2005. However, in one of the first of its kind standards in the country, California is preparing to adopt a similar Indoor Heat Illness Prevention Regulation. While various revisions to the draft standard have been circulating for the past year, the current draft is likely in its final form. It is also expected that the Cal/OSHA Standards Board will vote on the regulation at its March 2024 meeting and the final regulation will be effective this summer. Since both outdoor and indoor heat illness hazards have been covered by a special emphasis program from Cal/OSHA for several years, the new Indoor Heat Illness Prevention Regulation is expected to continue to be a high enforcement area for Cal/OSHA. Accordingly, now is the time for California employers to familiarize themselves with the regulation and begin to prepare for compliance.

Participants in this webinar will learn about:

• The requirements of the Indoor Heat Illness Prevention Regulation

• Landmines awaiting employers as they move into compliance with the new regulation

• Strategies for developing a compliant Indoor Heat Illness Prevention Plan

• The intersection between the Indoor and Outdoor Heat Illness Prevention Standards and how to integrate both

Click here to register for this webinar.

The request for 1.00 General California Minimum Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) credit is pending approval.

Presented by the Cal/OSHA Team in Conn Maciel Carey’s national OSHA Practice Group

While Cal/OSHA’s regulations must be at least as effective as federal OSHA regulations, Cal/OSHA can and certainly does have regulations unique to the Golden State. Employers looking to improve their workplace safety and health program and better manage the risks of agency enforcement can gain helpful insight by reviewing Cal/OSHA’s most frequently cited regulations.

Participants in this webinar will learn about:

• Cal/OSHA’s most frequently cited regulations

• An overview of industry-specific regulations cited most often

• Regulations unique to Cal/OSHA and how that impacts agency action during inspections

Click here to register for this webinar.

The request for 1.00 General California Minimum Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) credit is pending approval.

Presented by Kara M. Maciel, Rachel L. Conn, and Daniel C. Deacon

Workplace violence has been a focus for both the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) for several years, as it continues to be one of the leading causes of occupational injuries in the country every year.  While OSHA has no specific standard for workplace violence, the OSH Act's General Duty Clause requires employers to provide a workplace free from recognized serious hazards, and OSHA has instituted enforcement actions under its General Duty Clause after incidents of workplace violence. OSHA has also initiated a rulemaking to address workplace violence in specific industries.

California has taken the lead in implementing the first workplace violence rule in the country for general industry, requiring nearly all California employers (unless they fall under one of the limited exemptions) to establish, implement, and maintain an “effective” written workplace violence prevention plan, investigate every incident workplace violence (broadly defined), create and maintain violent incident logs, conduct annual employee and supervisor training, and abide by additional recordkeeping requirements. This general industry rule follows the Cal/OSHA regulation on Workplace Violence Prevention in Health Care.

The EEOC has also prioritized ways to effectively prevent and address workplace violence, particularly in the form of workplace harassment. And outside of OSHA and the EEOC, employers can also be held liable for workplace violence through other claims such as negligent hiring and supervision.

Participants in this webinar will learn about:

• What constitutes workplace violence

• EEOC and OSHA enforcement priorities related to workplace violence

• Legal risks associated with workplace violence

• Updates on federal OSHA workplace violence rulemaking

• California’s New Workplace Violence law

• Best practices for workplace violence prevention

• Tips for responding to a workplace violence incident in your work environment

Click here to register for this webinar.

This program has been approved by SHRM for 1 hour of HR professional development credit.

It is currently under review for HRCI credits and California MCLE credits.

Presented by the Cal/OSHA Team in Conn Maciel Carey’s national OSHA Practice Group

As we near the half-way mark through 2024, join us as we take stock of what has happened at Cal/OSHA in the first few months of the year. We’ll cover new developments and agency priorities for the remainder of 2024 and beyond.

Participants in this webinar will learn about:

• Cal/OSHA rulemaking and enforcement goals as we move toward the second half of the year.

• As employers come into compliance with SB 553 ahead of the July 1, 2024 deadline to implement an effective workplace violence prevention plan and comply with related workplace violence prevention requirements, how has Cal/OSHA weighed in on the new legislation and advanced its own rulemaking efforts on workplace violence for general industry

• How can employers navigate requirements regarding heat illness prevention as an indoor heat illness rule comes to fruition

• Other updates and predictions following the Cal/OSHA Advisory Committee’s March meeting

Click here to register for this webinar.

The request for 1.00 General California Minimum Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) credit is pending approval.

Presented by Kara M. Maciel, Eric J. Conn, Rachel L. Conn,and Kimberly Richardson

Over the last decade, Environmental, Social and Governance (“ESG”) has been an ever-evolving regulatory topic around the globe. Younger generations joining the workforce have been vocal about the importance of environmental and social responsibility in their place of employment, and as we continue to experience the effects of climate change, businesses have been feeling the pressure to prioritize ESG strategies and initiatives.

Successful ESG programs are vital for addressing common labor and employment legal issues such as employee engagement, mental health, whistleblower complaints, and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (“DEI”) efforts to name a few. However, while invaluable, ESG programs do not come without risk, so companies are strongly advised to work with labor and employment counsel to identify existing issues and to audit or develop comprehensive policies to proactively address these issues.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) also plays a critical role in the push for ESG preparedness.  OSHA’s Center for Safety and Health Sustainability (“CSHS”) introduced an OSH-Sustainability initiative to integrate environmental, social, and economic considerations to carve out new opportunities to advance worker safety and health. Under this broad umbrella, companies have been shifting their view towards sustainability as an imperative investment in their business growth strategy.

This program will explore the emerging world of ESG including why it should matter to your organization, how it affects the legal landscape, and how to address risks associated with formulating your own ESG program.

Participants in this webinar will learn:

• The benefits of implementing ESG initiatives in your workplace

• ESG compliance and reporting requirements for employers

• The OSH-Sustainability Connection model

• Key risks associated with ESG

• Tips for boosting your company's ESG strategy

• Tools for creating or auditing your company’s ESG policies and procedures

Click here to register for this webinar.

This program has been approved by SHRM for 1 hour of HR professional development credit.

It is currently under review for HRCI credits and California MCLE credits.

Presented by Eric J. Conn, Rachel L. Conn, Valerie Butera, Beeta B. Lashkari, and Kimberly Richardson

After years of stagnation, we’ve finally seen movement on updating process safety regulations during the Biden administration. But the revamped PSM standard and RMP rules have yet to see the light of day. We’ll discuss when we might expect final rules and how employers can prepare for the new burdens they will create.

Cal/OSHA’s PSM standard and CalARP’s RMP rule resemble the federal rules but present their own unique set of compliance challenges. We will compare and contrast the rules and talk about strategies for compliance.

Participants in this webinar will learn about:

• The status of OSHA’s and EPA’s process safety rulemakings

• The expected content of the new rules and how to prepare them

• Other process safety related developments at OSHA and EPA under the Biden Administration

• Cal/OSHA’s PSM standard and CalARP’s RMP rule and strategies for navigating the challenges they present

Click here to register for this webinar.

This webinar is currently under review for California MCLE credits.

Presented by the Cal/OSHA Team in Conn Maciel Carey’s national OSHA Practice Group

Cal/OSHA has emerged from the pandemic with new tools, resources, and energy for enforcement efforts. As the agency increases its inspections and implements more thorough inspection strategies, it is more important than ever for employers to be prepared for Cal/OSHA inspections.

This webinar provides employers with the knowledge and tools they need to prepare for and manage a successful Cal/OSHA inspection.

Participants in this webinar will learn about:

• The tools Cal/OSHA uses in conducting inspections

• Steps employers can take now to prepare in advance for a Cal/OSHA inspection

• Employers’, employees’, and Cal/OSHA’s rights during OSHA inspections

• Stages of Cal/OSHA inspections, with tips and strategies to manage each stage

• Considerations for handling citations that may issue following an inspection

Click here to register for this webinar.

The request for 1.00 General California Minimum Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) credit is pending approval.

Conn Maciel Carey LLP's 2ndAnnual Cal/OSHA and California Employment Law Summit is an in-person program conducted by the California-based attorneys in CMC's national OSHA Workplace Safety and Labor Employment Practice Groups, to update California employers on important developments involving workplace safety and health and employment law issues in California.

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 other employers around the country 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 employment law landscape through new legislation and decisions from the California courts. California employers always have something new to learn as the legislative session comes to a close in the fall and we know with certainty which new laws will take effect in 2025.

Our Cal/OSHA and California 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.

Here is the agenda from last year's Inaugural Cal/OSHA and California Employment Law Summit. 

More information about registration and other details to come! Check out the website for official updates.

The request for General California Minimum Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) credit is pending approval.

Presented by Rachel L. Conn, Andrea O. Chavez, Ashley D. Mitchell, Darius Rohani-Shukla, and Samuel S. Rose

The latest phenomenon in artificial intelligence (“AI”), generative AI such as ChatGPT, has changed the world as we know it. While some fear AI will replace workers and others praise its efficiency and productivity, there is no doubt that AI could be the largest technological advancement since the invention of the computer.

Now, companies are starting to wrestle with how to handle the use of AI in the workplace. In fact, it is possible that your company is already using AI in ways that you might not have considered or be aware of. For Human Resources, generative AI can produce strong benefits including helping to create job descriptions, draft model interview questions, or assist managers in preparing performance evaluations. But with every benefit, there comes risk and limitations, including discrimination, confidentiality, and reliability concerns.

Participants in this webinar will learn about:

• Protecting confidential and trade secret information

• The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s (“EEOC’s”) Artificial Intelligence and Algorithmic Fairness Initiative

• State and local laws regulating the use of AI

• Best practices on the use of AI in the workplace

Click here to register for this webinar.

This program is currently under review for SHRM and HRCI credits.

Presented by the Cal/OSHA Team in Conn Maciel Carey’s national OSHA Practice Group

The state of California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health, better known as Cal/OSHA, is perhaps the most aggressive and enforcement-heavy approved state OSH Program in the nation.  California employers face a host of requirements that other employers around the country do not.  Likewise, the Cal/OSHA inspection and appeal process creates several unique landmines for California employers.

Join us for our annual review of all things Cal/OSHA.

Participants in this webinar will learn about:

• New Cal/OSHA regulations

• California legislation impacting workplace safety and health

• Significant Cal/OSH Standards Board decision

• And more

Click here to register for this webinar.

The request for 1.00 General California Minimum Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) credit is pending approval.