State of California, located in the western United States, extends from the Mexican border along the Pacific for almost 900 miles. Its land includes cliff-lined beaches, redwood forests, the Sierra Nevada Mountains, Central Valley farmland and the Mojave Desert. The City of Los Angeles is the headquarters of the Hollywood entertainment industry. Going “beyond the plan”, using the state brand, and instead using federal health guidance for public places means that most businesses can do without social distancing requirements, capacity limits, and forced closures.
But there is a difference between “can” and “must”. The state has said it will impose additional restrictions on “mega-events”. That's defined as anything that attracts more than 5,000 people indoors or 10,000 outdoors. Sorry, nameless guy playing a melody on a loop pedal, you're not a mega event.
On Thursday afternoon, the state Occupational Safety and Health board agreed on a new set of rules. Vaccinated employees can now go without a mask. Employers will need to ask their staff about their vaccination status and record their responses for posterity. But whether or not someone is vaccinated is based on “regulatory self-certification” - that is for the honor system.
Employers will also need to stock up on N95 masks for workers who want them. California's business interests directly lobbied the governor, asking him to end the state's workplace safety regulators and issue an executive order to “align workplace guidelines with guidance from the state public health department and the federal Centers for Control and Disease Prevention”. On June 14, just hours before the state reopened, the California Department of Human Resources sent a notice to department heads across state government. State offices that serve directly to the public, as well as offices and stores across the state, will not be required to “inquire about the vaccination status of a member of the public”.
Instead, the notice said, agencies “must notify all customers, guests and members of the public that face coverings are required for unvaccinated people. If a person without a face covering enters a state building, the department must assume that the person is complying with the requirement. The building will be open to a maximum of 500 members of the public. Masks will continue to be required and social distancing guidelines will remain in place.
After that, rules committees in both the Assembly and the Senate “will continue to evaluate capacity increase to a total of 1,000 members of the public as soon as the week of June 21”, according to a statement from legislative leaders. So how is it possible for the state to reopen so that everything remains the same when it is simultaneously an emergency? The answer could be that the definition of a “state of emergency” under California law does not necessarily mean “day-to-day emergency” - something is on fire (meaning of the word). On June 2, for example, the governor's office assured local governments that they would still be allowed to hold meetings remotely. Therefore, you should review the requirements of each applicable order and ensure that you operate your business in accordance with each of them.
Coronavirus Is Affecting Businesses in L. A. Learn how your company can get assistance during this health emergency. Businesses across Los Angeles County have been experiencing impacts associated with the coronavirus since it emerged and are suddenly facing declining sales, operational challenges, or financial uncertainty.
The Small Business Office of the County Department of Consumer Affairs and Business can help you connect with local, state and federal resources, including aversion to layoffs and emergency loans. Safer at Work Los Angeles is a collaborative countywide campaign created to remind us that together we will restore our thriving local economy. This website serves as a resource center for businesses, employees, and all Angelenos who want to use our campaign materials to promote safe reopening. The application link is now open for any California business wishing to apply for a disaster loan related to the economic damage of the COVID-19 health crisis.
Businesses across Los Angeles County have been experiencing impacts associated with the coronavirus since it emerged. Companies and their employees are suddenly faced with declining sales, operational challenges, or financial uncertainty. The County, as well as the State, have made resources available to business owners during this time. The Small Business Office of the County Department of Consumer Affairs and Business can help you connect with local, state and federal resources, including aversion to layoffs and emergency loans.
Are you facing the possibility of firing workers? Employers can apply for Unemployment Insurance (UI) Work Sharing Program if reduced production, services or other conditions cause them to seek an alternative to layoffs. Specialty Service Representatives from LAC America Workplaces in Los Angeles County California Employment Centers of America (AJCCs) can help get your business back on track. Specialized business service representatives can work with you and your employees to minimize losses and can also help your company with strategic planning to ensure that your company does not face a similar situation in future. Contact your local business services representative at a California United States Employment Center (AJCC) by calling (21) 810-1641 or by email.
Small Business Finance Center Loans for Small Businesses The California Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development (Go-Biz) offers iBank loans to businesses with one to 750 employees (small businesses). Los Angeles Small Business Development Center Resource Guide CDC Interim Guide for Businesses. California Employment Centers (AJCC) in United States of Los Angeles County can help you get your business back on track. Amid plummeting COVID-19 case rates and a major increase in vaccines, California plans to lift most coronavirus restrictions on businesses and workplaces by June 15.
