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CalOSHA updates employee quarantine and insolation

COVID-19 vaccination and boosters remain the most important strategy to prevent serious illness and death from COVID-19. California Department of Public Health (CDPH) updates Isolations and Quarantine guidance, which takes effect on January 14th, 2022. 

First, it is very important to understand the difference between the concepts of Isolation and Quarantine. 

  • Isolation.- Separates those infected with a contagious disease from people who are not infected.
  • Quarantine.- Restricts the movement of persons who were exposed to a contagious disease in case they become infected.

Isolation and quarantine help protect the public by preventing exposure to people who have or may have a contagious disease.

Implementing the new guidelines, we have prepared three different scenarios to help you understand exclusion requirements due to COVID-19 exposure: 

Scenario 1.- Exclusion Requirements for Employees Who Test Positive for COVID-19 (Isolation).

Requirements apply to all employees, regardless of vaccination status, previous infection, or lack of symptoms.

  • Employees who test positive for COVID-19 must be excluded from the workplace for at least 5 days.
  • Isolation can end and employees may return to the workplace after day 5 if symptoms are not present or are resolving, and a diagnostic specimen* collected on day 5 or later tests negative.
  • If an employee is unable or chooses not to test and their symptoms are not present or are resolving, isolation can end and the employee may return to the workplace after day 10.
  • If an employee has a fever, isolation must continue and the employee may not return to work until the fever resolves.
  • If an employee’s symptoms other than fever are not resolving, they may not return to work until their symptoms are resolving or until after day 10 from the positive test.
  • Employees must wear face coverings around others for a total of 10 days after the positive test, especially in indoor settings. Please refer to the section in this FAQ on face coverings for additional face covering requirements.
  • Antigen test preferred.

Scenario 2.- Employees Who Are Exposed to Someone with COVID-19 (Quarantine)

Requirements apply to employees who are:

  • Unvaccinated; OR
  • Vaccinated and booster-eligible+ but have not yet received their booster dose.++
  • Refer to CDC COVID-19 Booster Shots to determine who is booster eligible.
  • Employees must be excluded from the workplace for at least 5 days after their last close contact with a person who has COVID-19.
  • Exposed employees must test on day 5.
  • Quarantine can end and exposed employees may return to the workplace after day 5 if symptoms are not present and a diagnostic specimen* collected on day 5 or later tests negative.
  • If an employee is unable or chooses not to test and does not have symptoms, quarantine can end and the employee may return to the workplace after day 10.
  • Employees must wear face coverings around others for a total of 10 days after exposure, especially in indoor settings. Please refer to the section in this FAQ on face coverings for additional face covering requirements.
  • If an exposed employee tests positive for COVID-19, they must follow the isolation requirements above in scenario 1.
  • If an exposed employee develops symptoms, they must be excluded pending the results of a test.
  • Employees are strongly encouraged to get vaccinated or boosted.
  • Antigen test preferred.

Employers are not required to exclude asymptomatic employees in this category if:

  • A negative diagnostic test* is obtained within 3-5 days after last exposure to a case.
  • Employee wears a face covering around others for a total of 10 days (please refer to the section in this FAQ on face coverings for additional face covering requirements); and
  • Employee continues to have no symptoms.

Scenario 3.- Employees Who Are Exposed to Someone with COVID-19 (No Quarantine Required).

Requirements apply to employees who are:

  • Boosted; OR
  • Vaccinated, but not yet booster-eligible.
  • Refer to CDC COVID-19 Booster Shots to determine who is booster eligible.

Employees do not need to quarantine if they:

  • Test on day 5 with a negative result.
  • Wear face coverings around others for 10 days after exposure, especially in indoor settings. Please refer to the section in this FAQ on face coverings for additional face covering requirements.
  • If employees test positive, they must follow isolation recommendations above.
  • If employees develop symptoms, they must be excluded pending the results of a test.

In addition to the above 3 scenarios, pursuant to section 3205(c)(10)(E), when an order to isolate, quarantine, or exclude an employee is issued by a local or state health official, the employee shall not return to work until the period of isolation or quarantine is completed or the order is lifted even if the order exceeds the specified exclusion requirements in the ETS or CDPH recommendation.

***If employees covered by scenario 2 cannot be tested as required, quarantine must continue for at least 10 days as explained in the table. If employees covered by scenario 3 cannot be tested on day 5, employers should follow the ETS. For vaccinated close contacts, as of January 14, 2022, that means wearing a face covering and maintaining six feet of distance for 14 days following the close contact.***

Source: California Department of Industrial Relations