Workers Could Ditch Masks Around Vaccinated Colleagues: CA Agency

SACRAMENTO, CA — California's workplace safety board Thursday recommended controversial new rules loosening workplace mask restrictions where all employees are vaccinated.

The much-anticipated proposal by the California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board would allow employees to ditch their masks if every co-worker in the room is fully vaccinated. The move is considered a stopgap measure. The board will further consider easing pandemic rules as California reopens its economy.

The decision leaves many questions unanswered for employees and business owners. It could also have the effect of creating social pressure for vaccine holdouts to get the shot or create two classes of workers, critics contend. It remains unclear how or if companies can verify whether employees are vaccinated. The decision has no impact on rules regarding customer vaccine status or mask requirements.

The California Office of Administrative Law has ten days to review the decision before it becomes official.

Eric Berg, Cal/OSHA's deputy chief, said the proposal is “a careful and evidence-based approach that represents a path forward if we want to both totally reopen the economy and protect workers simultaneously,” according to the Los Angeles Times.

Board member Barbara Burgel told the newspaper she believes “that employers who have the legal responsibility to provide a safe and healthy workplace” and need “to continue to protect their workers in this COVID pandemic, which is not totally controlled.”

The board initially voted 4-to-3 to reject any changes to current rules but then reconsidered.

Chairman David Thomas said that would have left employers with the current rules, which require masks for all employees, along with social distancing and partitions between employees in certain circumstances.

Moments later, the seven-member board unanimously adopted the revised regulations while a three-member subcommittee considers more changes.

“It’s better than the previous one, because that’s what we’re going back to” if the board didn’t act, Thomas said. “We don’t want to leave the last one in place when this is better than that.”

The off-again, on-again decisions came after major business groups and dozens of individuals spent hours urging the board to further lift pandemic regulations.

Members who initially rejected the revision said they are concerned that it doesn't go far enough or that it requires employers to stockpile the most effective N95 facemasks for employees who want them starting July 1.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.