California Department of Public Health Updated Guidance for Face Mask Use

Topics: COVID-19

The California Department of Public Health (“CDPH”) has issued new face mask use guidance, some of which went into effect on March 1, 2022, the remainder of which will go into effect on March 11, 2022.  Overall, the new guidelines relax face masking requirements but still urge caution in indoor spaces:

• Effective March 1, 2022, the requirement that unvaccinated individuals mask in indoor public settings changed to a strong recommendation that all persons, regardless of vaccine status, continue indoor masking.
• After March 11, 2022, the universal masking requirement for K-12 and Childcare settings will terminate, although CDPH strongly recommends that individuals in these settings continue to mask in indoor settings when the universal masking requirement lifts.
• Universal masking shall remain required in specified high-risk settings, consistent with CDC recommendations, meaning that CDPH requires masking in settings defined as presenting high-risk for COVID-19 infection or transmission by the CDC.  Please be sure to check the new CDC guidance that came out on Friday, February 25, 2022, provided in the hyperlink, which explains and includes tools for determining whether your business presents or is located in a high-risk setting.
• CDPH is maintaining the requirement that business owners and venue operators, including K-12 school and childcare settings, must allow any individual to wear a mask if they desire to do so.

Note that employers are still subject to the Cal/OSHA COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standards and, in some workplaces the Cal/OSHA Aerosol Transmissible Diseases Standard, and employers should consult those regulations for additional applicable requirements.  Employers should also check to determine whether their county or city has more restrictive guidelines, such as Los Angeles County and City.

If you have questions about how to pivot your workplace to keep up with these face masking changes along with the other workplace safety requirements, any of our attorneys at CDF Labor Law will be happy to help you.