October 19, 2020

LWDA Weekly Roundup:

Each week the Labor & Workforce Development Agency and its departments engage with the public, stakeholders, and reporters on social, digital, and traditional media. Here are the highlights from last week.

News:

California Labor Secretary Releases Joint Statement with GO-Biz Acting Director on September Employment Numbers

Following the California Employment Development Department’s (EDD) release of the state’s employment data from September, California Labor Secretary Julie A. Su issued the following joint statement with the Acting Director of the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz), Chris Dombrowski. Read more here.

California Unemployment Drops to 11 Percent in September

California’s unemployment rate improved to an even 11 percent in September as the state’s employers added 96,000 jobs, according to data released by the California Employment Development Department (EDD) from two surveys. This comes after August’s upward-revised gain of 113,800 jobs (+11,900 jobs from previously reported gain). California has now regained more than a third (38 percent) of the 2,615,800 nonfarm jobs lost during March and April as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more here.

Social Media Posts of the Week:

Workers' Compensation Presumption SB1159 FAQs

Think you may have caught #COVID19 while at work? Curious about your rights under #CA #WorkersComp laws? Check out these FAQs about California’s workers’ compensation presumption for COVID-19: View here.

New Podcasts and Videos:

Cal/OSHA Webinar Presentation: Use of Elastomeric Respirators in Health Care Settings

On the Record:

Unemployment benefits top $100 billion while backlog continues to drop
October 15, 2020

The total of unemployment benefits providing support for California workers and local economies during this historic COVID-19 pandemic has now hit $101 billion in just seven months. About $55 billion of that is in regular state- provided Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits which is more than double what was paid in the three worst years of the Great Recession combined. Read more here.

Workplace Health, Safety, and Rights:

Cal/OSHA Training Academy is Now Offering Courses for Employers and Workers

The Cal/OSHA Training Academy is presented by the California Department of Industrial Relations, Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA). Online training courses, guidance documents, videos, and other helpful resources on a variety of occupational safety and health topics are available. Read more here.

COVID-19 Information for Agricultural Workers

If you are a farmworker in California, here is what you need to know to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 at home and in the fields. Read more here.

Información de COVID-19 Para Trabajadores Agrícolas

Si usted es un trabajador agrícola en California, esto es lo que necesita saber para ayudar a prevenir la propagación del COVID-19 en el hogar y en el campo. Leer más aquí.

COVID-19 Employer Handbook Available Now

ICYMI:

DWC Posts Adjustments to Official Medical Fee Schedule (Hospital Outpatient Departments/Ambulatory Surgical Centers) (October 14, 2020)

DWC Emergency Regulations for Medical-Legal Reporting in Response to COVID-19 are in Effect through March 12, 2021 (October 13, 2020)

DWC Posts Adjustment to Official Medical Fee Schedule (Pathology and Clinical Laboratory Section) (October 12, 2020)

The Labor & Workforce Development Agency provides leadership to protect and improve the well-being of California’s current and future workforce.