Today’s post is on AB 2334 from the 2018 legislative session that concerns new employer reporting requirements for injuries and illness. Governor Jerry Brown signed Assembly Bill 2334 by State Assemblymember Tony Thurmond on September the 19th as Chapter 538. This new law went into effect on January 1, 2019.

The new law clarifies that the occurrence of a violation of an occupational safety and health order continues until that violation is corrected, that the Division of Occupational Safety and Health, DOSH, discovers the violation or the duty to comply with the requirement is no longer applicable. The bill AB 2334 amends several provisions of the Labor Code and adds two new provisions to the Labor Code.

Among other provisions, it requires DOSH to monitor rule‑making and implementation of the US Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s improved tracking of workplace injuries and illnesses rule regarding electronic submission of workplace injury and illness data.

It also requires DOSH, if it determines that the federal OSHA has eliminated or substantially diminished any federal submission requirements, to convene an advisory committee to evaluate how to implement changes necessary to protect the goals of that federal rule.

It, again, amends several Labor Code provisions to add new requirements, including a requirement that a citation or notice shall not be issued by the division more than six months after the occurrence of a violation.

Also, the new law added a statement of intent in 6410.1 of the Labor Code that DOSH should maintain a strong workplace injury and illness‑reporting standard and also the requirement that DOSH monitor rule‑making and implementation of the US Department of Labor with respect to the electronic submission of workplace injury and illness data.

It also says that individually identifying information may be used by the Office of Self‑Insurance Plans of the Department of Industrial Relations to carry out its duties.

The director may publish information regarding the cost of administration, workers’ compensation benefit, expenditures, solvency, and other information, as long as the information does not include any individually identifiable claim at information. All of this and more can be found in newly adopted AB 2334.

You can find a transcript of today’s podcast here.