By Laurie Nooren, SPHR, PHRca, SHRM-CP
It’s hard to believe that dealing with COVID-19 on a daily basis is a thing of the past. Although the Cal OSHA non-emergency standards for COVID-19 expired on February 3, 2025, employers in California still have some requirements to comply with:
- Recordkeeping: Employers must continue to track and maintain COVID-19 case records until February 3, 2026. This includes the employees’ name, contact info, job title and location, the date they last worked on-site, the date they tested positive, and any notifications previously provided to employees under the non-emergency regulations. If requested, employers must still report COVID-19 cases to local health departments, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) or as required by law.
- Workplace Safety/Injury and Illness Prevention Plan (IIPP): Employers must maintain a safe working environment as part of their IIPP. This includes identifying and correcting workplace hazards such as COVID-19 and other potential infectious diseases and providing applicable training. Employers may opt to provide outbreak notifications to protect employees.
- No Longer Required: While no longer mandatory, employers may choose to continue posting and providing exposure notifications to promote transparency and ensure employee safety. Testing, face coverings, and contract tracing are also no longer required, but employers should evaluate the specific risks of their workplace.
If you have any specific questions about a COVID-19 situation in your workplace, please reach out to your HR Consultant.