CA DIR Labor News

Cal/OSHA Heat Training Easton, April 24

Cal/OSHA partnered with the Nisei Farmers League to host its annual heat illness prevention training in Easton, Fresno, on April 24, 2026. The training covered state requirements for preventing heat illness in outdoor and indoor work environments, including nighttime agricultural operations, wildfire smoke protections, and workplace violence prevention. Cal/OSHA's Heat Illness Prevention Special Emphasis Program enforces heat regulations and provides multilingual outreach and training for employers and workers across California.

California Invests $18.6M to Train 55,000 Apprentices in Building and Construction Trades

The California Apprenticeship Council (CAC) Training Fund awarded $18.6 million in grants to support 160 state-registered apprenticeship programs in building and construction trades, providing funding for more than 55,000 apprentices across multiple trades. Funded programs include boilermakers, bricklayers, electricians, plumbers, roofers, painters, ironworkers, plasterers, surveyors, sheet metal workers, and HVAC technicians. Grants reimburse apprenticeship programs for hands-on training costs, equipment investments, instructor training, curriculum development, and recruitment efforts. Apprenticeship programs in building and construction trades may seek partnerships or review available CAC Training Fund grants to expand capacity.

DWC Adjusts OMFS for Hospital Outpatient Departments and ASCs

The Division of Workers' Compensation (DWC) has posted an order adjusting the Hospital Outpatient Departments and Ambulatory Surgical Centers section of the Official Medical Fee Schedule (OMFS) to conform to changes in the Medicare payment system as required by Labor Code section 5307.1. The order adopts CMS Medicare Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) April 2026 Addendum A and B, plus the ASC Payment System April 2026 updates. The order is effective for services rendered on or after April 1, 2026.

DWC Adjusts California OMFS for Medicare DMEPOS Q2 2026 Changes

The Division of Workers' Compensation (DWC) posted an order adjusting the Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics and Supplies (DMEPOS) section of California's Official Medical Fee Schedule to conform to 2026 Medicare payment system changes as required by Labor Code section 5307.1. The order adopts Medicare's April 2026 Quarter 2 DMEPOS Fee Schedule update and is effective for services on or after April 1, 2026. Affected parties should refer to the DWC DMEPOS fee schedule web page for the adopting order.

Cal/OSHA Advises Employers to Protect Workers from Wildfire Smoke During Springs and Crown Fires

Cal/OSHA is urging California employers to protect workers from unhealthy air caused by the Springs and Crown fires, which are generating hazardous smoke affecting air quality in Riverside and Los Angeles counties. Under Cal/OSHA's Protection from Wildfire Smoke standard, employers must monitor the Air Quality Index for PM2.5 and provide respirators to workers when AQI exceeds 150, with mandatory respirator use required when AQI exceeds 500. The advisory also reminds employers that retaliation against workers who refuse to work in unsafe conditions in evacuation zones is illegal in California.

Cal/OSHA Reminds Employers of Heat Illness Prevention Requirements

Cal/OSHA is reminding all California employers of their legally binding obligations to protect workers from heat illness at outdoor and indoor workplaces as heat waves are forecast across the state this week, with temperatures reaching up to 102°F in inland areas. The reminder covers Cal/OSHA's Heat Illness Prevention Standards for outdoor worksites (shade required at 80°F+, cool-down breaks, written prevention plan) and indoor regulation (applies at 82°F+, requires water, rest, cool-down areas, training). Five industries with additional high-heat requirements at 95°F+ are identified: agriculture, construction, landscaping, oil and gas extraction, and transportation of heavy materials.

Cal/OSHA Advises Employers on Heat Illness Prevention as State Temperatures Rise

Cal/OSHA issued an advisory on March 11, 2026, reminding all California employers of their legal obligations under the state’s Heat Illness Prevention Standards as temperatures are expected to rise above seasonal averages across the state. A National Weather Service heat advisory covers Southern California through Friday, with inland areas forecast to reach the 90s and coastal areas in the mid-80s. Cal/OSHA emphasizes that employers must implement protective measures for both outdoor and indoor workers, including providing water, shade, rest breaks, cool-down areas, and training, with additional high-heat requirements at 95°F for specified industries. Northern California is also expected to experience high temperatures through the following Wednesday.

DWC Draft ADA Accommodation Regulations for Public Comment

The Division of Workers' Compensation (DWC) has posted draft regulations implementing ADA accommodation procedures for workers' compensation proceedings to an online forum for public comment. The draft includes a new complaint form (DWC Form 9008) for disability discrimination grievances, a process for blanket accommodation requests for multiple remote appearances at the Workers' Compensation Appeals Board (WCAB), and a procedure for litigants to request investigations into whether granted courtroom accommodations were ineffective. Comments will be accepted until 5 p.m. March 20, 2026.

California Launches Women in Construction Public Awareness Campaign

The California Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) and its Division of Apprenticeship Standards (DAS) have launched a public awareness campaign titled 'Women in Construction' to coincide with Women in Construction Week. The campaign includes a toolkit and features stories highlighting mentorships, skill development, and apprenticeship pathways in the building trades. California has invested over $50 million in Equal Representation in Construction Apprenticeship (ERiCA) grants to increase access to construction careers for women and under-represented communities.

DWC Adjusts Hospital Outpatient and ASC Medical Fee Schedule to Conform to Medicare CY2026

The DWC Administrative Director has posted an order adjusting the Official Medical Fee Schedule (OMFS) for Hospital Outpatient Departments and Ambulatory Surgical Centers to conform to CY2026 Medicare payment system changes as required by California Labor Code section 5307.1. The adjustment incorporates new CMS Medicare Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) Addendum A and B files effective January 2026, including a new status indicator code S1 for skin substitutes at $127.14 per square centimeter, and updated ASC Approved HCPCS Code and Payment Rates as of February 11, 2026. The order is effective for services rendered on or after March 1, 2026 and is posted on the DWC OMFS webpage.

Prepaid Card Report on Workers' Compensation Payments

The California Commission on Health and Safety and Workers' Compensation (CHSWC) has released a final report examining the use of prepaid card programs for workers' compensation indemnity payments. The report considers recommendations for the continuation of such programs.

CHSWC Releases 2025 WOSHTEP Advisory Board Annual Report

The California Commission on Health and Safety and Workers’ Compensation (CHSWC) has released the 2025 Worker Occupational Safety and Health Training and Education Program (WOSHTEP) Advisory Board Annual Report. The report evaluates the use and impact of programs aimed at reducing job-related injuries and illnesses among California workers.

California Teens Learn Workplace Safety and Rights at Leadership Academy

The 22nd annual Young Worker Leadership Academy (YWLA) took place February 12 through Valentine's Day at UCLA, bringing together California teens ages 14–18 for three days of workshops on workplace health, safety, and workers' rights. Participants heard directly from Cal/OSHA experts and labor and safety leaders during panel sessions and developed service-learning projects to share with their schools and communities. The program is administered by the Commission on Health and Safety and Workers' Compensation within DIR, in partnership with UCLA's Labor Occupational Safety and Health Program and UC Berkeley's Labor Occupational Health Program.

DWC Updates California Workers' Comp Medical Fee Schedule

The Division of Workers' Compensation (DWC) has posted an order updating the Physician and Non-Physician Practitioner Services section of the Official Medical Fee Schedule (OMFS) to incorporate an updated Medi-Cal Rates file. The updated rates include three new Medi-Cal Rates tables (dated 12/15/2025, 1/15/2026, and 2/15/2026), corrections to hyperlinks, and deletion of a duplicate section (m). The order is effective for services rendered on or after March 1, 2026.

Cal/OSHA Fines All FAB Precision Sheetmetal $212,850 for Repeat Amputation

Cal/OSHA has issued penalties totaling $212,850 to All FAB Precision Sheetmetal, Inc. following an investigation into a workplace amputation at the company's San Jose facility on June 5, 2025, when a press brake was operated without required safety guards. The violations include one Willful Regulatory violation, one Serious Accident-Related violation, and one Willful Repeat Serious Accident-Related violation—a near-identical amputation had occurred at the same facility in June 2024, after which the employer was issued serious citations totaling $43,500 but failed to correct the hazard. The case has been referred to Cal/OSHA's Bureau of Investigations.