Many are itching to move on from masks, social distancing etc., and the CDC’s announcement is certainly a welcome step, BUT for those employers in California, please remember the following:
The CDC guidance specifically says that “fully vaccinated people no longer need to wear a mask or physically distance in any setting, except where required by federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial laws, rules, and regulations, including local business and workplace guidance.”
California employers are still under the current Cal-OSHA Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS), which makes no accommodation for vaccinated employees when it comes to masking. You can find California’s current guidance and FAQ’s on the ETS here.
We expect that any future revisions to the ETS will be more restrictive than CDC guidance, but stay tuned for future updates.
