Written by Amanda Angulo
On Thursday night, California’s workplace safety agency, the California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board, had passed a set of rules in regards to COVID-19 precautions, which would result in a requirement for employees to wear masks unless everyone in the room is fully vaccinated. Due to the state not creating a vaccine passport system, this requirement would be almost impossible for many businesses.
Despite the state reopening on June 15th, the board has continued to make decisions, changing their mind, and doing it all over again. The seemingly random decisions made by the board make it clear that they have not made up their mind about regulations and are ignoring the science once again. If they were following the science and allowing for the most reasonable standards then they would not be constantly changing their minds about the rule. The answer would be more clear.
“A fully vaccinated server could work a lunch shift at a restaurant … and then go out to dinner with their family or friends at the same restaurant in the evening and not be required to wear a mask, even though they had to wear a mask earlier in the day while at work,” said the California Restaurant Association’s senior legislative director, Katie Hansen.
Some members had initially rejected the revision of the rules due to the requirement of businesses having to purchase N95 face masks for employees who want them starting July 1st. This could unnecessarily cost businesses thousands of dollars and will be taking away from the healthcare workers that need it the most.
The board plans to discuss and revise again on June 17th, but if for some reason, they decide not to revise the rules, they could remain in place until early next year, even if COVID-19 is no longer a threat by then.
Other critics of the rules claim that Gov. Newsom could use his power of executive order and emergency power to lift the restrictions. However, one pointed out that it would place Newsom in an “awkward position of needing to issue an executive order to correct recent actions taken by a Newsom Administration state agency.”
