The state has launched a portal for businesses to see what measures must be followed to open and operate amid the COVID-19 pandemic, but checking regularly is essential to ensure full compliance.
“For a whole year now, since the pandemic began, businesses have had to adapt to continually shifting and expanding mandates and guidance from all levels of government,” James W. Ward, employment law expert and legal writer and editor with the California Chamber of Commerce, told the Northern California Record by email. “During that time, businesses have had no choice but to track multiple federal, state, and local websites to try to stay up to date on the latest information.”
The Labor & Workforce Development Agency (LWDA) Compliance Portal, which launched in late February, is meant to centralize information that applies to various industries.
A portal user provides the business location, type, and existing practices, and the portal creates a custom report with state and local requirements. Topics include risk assessment, training, control measures and screening, cleaning and disinfecting protocols, physical distancing, face coverings, employee benefits, what to do when there is a COVID-19 case, and reopening guidelines.
Ward noted that under each topic, the report summarizes the basic requirements for businesses and provides links to more detailed resources from state agencies like the California Department of Public Health and the Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA).
An LWDA news release notes the portal does not ask for business names or any personal information.
“The information in the portal is for educational purposes and will not be used for state enforcement activities,” the release states.
“I’d like to see the state continue to consolidate its COVID-19 guidance,” Ward said. “The portal is a great start, but in some areas, the portal directs employers to multiple agency resources on the same topic, some of which are a few months old and may not account for the latest developments.”
“For businesses, this just tends to create more confusion, which is exactly what the state is trying to alleviate through the new portal,” Ward said. “As such, while it’s a great resource for businesses looking to reopen or ramp up business activities, they will still need to sift through a lot of information and determine the best way to implement the applicable requirements.”