State Laws

Tumwater, WA — The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries has published guidance on a new state law intended to protect workers in the hospitality industry from sexual harassment and assault.

Frankfort, KY — Newly elected Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D) on Jan. 10 issued an Executive Order reestablishing the state’s Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board.

Sacramento, CA — The California Labor and Workforce Development Agency has launched a website intended to help employers and workers navigate the state’s recently enacted employment status law, A.B. 5.

Washington — OSHA has issued corrections for its Walking-Working Surfaces, Personal Protective Equipment and Special Industries standards to remove “typographical, formatting and clerical errors,” publishing a final rule in the Dec. 17 Federal Register.

Washington — A total of 73 U.S. hotel companies have committed to the “5-Star Promise” – a pledge to improve employee safety in the industry, including measures designed to prevent and respond to sexual harassment and assault – since its launch in September 2018, the American Hotel and Lodging Association has announced.

Berkeley, CA — Nearly 2 out of 3 California workers whose primary job is as an independent contractor will have their employment status restored under state law A.B. 5, according to a data brief released Nov. 12 by the Center for Labor Research and Education at the University of California, Berkeley.

Sacramento, CA — Workers with high blood lead levels will now have their cases referred to the state’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health – or Cal/OSHA – for review and possible action, under legislation signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) on Oct. 10.

New York — Large, complex construction sites in New York City must immediately post at their exits multilingual notices about upcoming safety training requirements, Department of Buildings Commissioner Melanie E. La Rocca announced Oct. 15.

Sacramento, CA — More than a million workers in California who are classified as independent contractors will have their employment status restored under legislation signed into law Sept. 18 by Gov. Gavin Newsom (D).

Springfield, IL — Beginning July 1, hotels and casinos in Illinois will be required to have anti-sexual harassment policies that include, for certain workers, access to a safety button or notification device that alerts security staff.