Expect More Rules, Enforcement Under Biden’s OSHA

Bracewell’s Bob Nichols discussed with HRD the latest requirement by California’s division of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), which mandates employers to post any new citations or orders in the workplace in English, as well as the top seven non-English languages used by limited-English-proficient adults in California.

“Compared to other employment law changes this year, I don’t think this one is that dramatic,” Nichols told HRD. “It won’t be a terrible burden for employers because you don’t have to hire someone to write the citation in seven languages. The state will create the forms and employers just have to post them. It’s going to make them much longer, which sort of makes them less effective, but I understand the good intentions considering California’s diverse workforce.”

The law went into effect in 2023 with languages being determined by the American Community Survey given by the US Census Bureau. California’s division of OSHA is responsible for drafting the alternate-language notices, which must be posted at or near each place a violation occurs that is referred to in a citation or order.

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