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A28 u.s. news
Diabierna 17 December 2021

New California rules end distinction for vaccinated workers

rules could make the worker commercials because “em-
“It’s good that we’re realizing shortage worse. ployees who work in front
that vaccines aren’t the silver of the camera cannot be ex-
bullet to get us out of this,” The California Chamber of pected to wear a face cover-
Steiger said. “There’s never a Commerce led a coalition of ing” and those doing hair and
good time to start disarming about 60 business groups ar- makeup “cannot perform
against COVID-19.” guing in a letter to the state their job duties while main-
safety board that vaccinations taining six feet of distance
The safety board’s consid- are still largely effective and from other employees.”
eration of the revised rules usually prevent serious ill-
comes a day after California ness and death even if there The seven-member safety
reinstituted requiring vac- are breakthrough infections. board is the policy-making
cinated and unvaccinated arm of what is known as Cal/
people to wear masks indoors A planned change that would OSHA. It conformed its cur-
in a bid to slow the spread require testing even of vacci- rent regulations to general
of the virus, including the nated workers with no symp- statewide standards imposed
omicron variant, as families toms could also strain the by Gov. Gavin Newsom in
and friends gather during the availability of rapid tests and June only after weeks of in-
(AP) — California work- days even if they test negative holidays and new coronavi- boost employers’ costs, said trigue during which it first
place regulators are poised or, if they return to work, to rus cases increase. the groups, which include postponed, then rejected,
on Thursday to extend the wear masks and stay 6 feet agribusiness, retailers, home- then adopted, then rescinded
state’s coronavirus pan- (1.8 meters) from others for Under current workplace builders, restaurateurs and earlier proposed rules that
demic regulations into two weeks. rules, vaccinated employees manufacturers, along with would have conflicted with
next year with some revi- can keep working even if cities and counties. Newsom’s broader directive.
sions that business groups The California Chamber of they’ve been exposed, unless
say could worsen the labor Commerce opposes the re- they show symptoms, under The stricter safeguards “will Labor interests generally
shortage. visions, said Rob Moutrie, a the assumption that the vac- only worsen the present la- haven’t objected to the latest
policy advocate for the group. cine generally will protect bor shortage affecting Cali- changes, which would be in
The main change to the Cali- them. fornia workplaces,” Moutrie effect from Jan. 14 through
fornia Occupational Safety “Treating vaccinated and un- predicted. “Moreover, rein- April 14.
and Health Standards Board’s vaccinated people similarly Other states besides Califor- stituting social distancing on
revised temporary rule would really denies the scientific nia that adopted emergency a per person basis is just not But they are upset that other
erase current distinctions be- value of the vaccine and dis- COVID-19 workplace safety feasible in many work places” proposed rules to be consid-
tween vaccinated and unvac- incentivizes vaccination,” he measures include Michigan, that would have to physically ered in March would elimi-
cinated employees. said. Oregon and Virginia. move workstations or equip- nate employer-paid sick leave
ment. for employees who are ex-
Both would be prohibited But groups representing The Biden Administration posed to or contract the virus.
from the workplace if they workers support the change. has ordered all U.S. em- The rules apply to almost ev-
come in close contact with Regulators were foolish to ployers with more than 100 ery workplace in the state, in- The goal was to allow lower-
someone infected with the loosen the restrictions in workers to be vaccinated, cluding offices, factories and wage workers without sick
virus. June under pressure from tested regularly or wear retail locations. time to take time off rather
employers and are smart to masks at work starting Jan. 4. than coming to work and
The revised temporary rules tighten them now, said Mitch But the order is stalled amid The Motion Picture Asso- spreading the virus because
would require that exposed, Steiger, a legislative advocate court challenges from Re- ciation said the safeguards are they couldn’t afford to stay
vaccinated but asymptom- for the California Labor Fed- publican-led states and fears not feasible for those filming home.
atic workers stay home for 14 eration. among employers that the movies, television shows or

Defense expert: Police had duty to arrest Daunte Wright

(AP) — Police officers ter, 49, who is charged with signed from the police force Thursday that he disagreed properly, second only to a
who stopped Daunte first- and second-degree two days after the shooting, with a use-of-force expert gunshot to the head. He also
Wright were legally bound manslaughter in the killing was an experienced officer who testified for the prosecu- said officers had to assume
to arrest him after discov- of Wright. During an April who had been thoroughly tion that Potter was too close that Wright “very likely could
ering he had a warrant for 11 traffic stop in Brooklyn trained in use of a Taser, in- to Wright for the Taser to be have a gun” because he had
an outstanding weapons Center, the 20-year-old Black cluding warnings about the effective. one in the past, and that it
violation, a use-of-force motorist broke away from of- danger of confusing one would have been a “derelic-
expert testified Thursday ficers trying to arrest him and with a handgun. They have Ijames said a Taser is the tion of duty” for them not to
as defense attorneys be- was attempting to drive away to prove recklessness or cul- most effective tool to inca- have tried to arrest him.
gan making their case at when Potter shot him. Body- pable negligence if they are to pacitate someone when used
Kim Potter’s manslaugh- camera video captured her win a conviction on the man-
ter trial. shouting “I’ll tase you!” and slaughter charges.
“Taser, Taser, Taser!” before
Stephen Ijames, a former as- she fired once. The death of Wright, who
sistant police chief in Spring- was Black, set off angry dem-
field, Missouri, said it also Potter’s attorneys have ar- onstrations for several days
was very unlikely that Wright gued that she would have in Brooklyn Center. It hap-
could have driven away had been within her rights to use pened as another white of-
Potter, a suburban Minne- deadly force even if she had ficer, Derek Chauvin, was
apolis police officer, actually intended to do so because standing trial in nearby Min-
used her Taser, which she has a fellow officer was endan- neapolis for the killing of
said she meant to do but in- gered by Wright’s attempt to George Floyd.
stead mistakenly pulled her flee.
gun and shot Wright . Ijames, who said he wrote the
Prosecutors called police Taser policy for the Interna-
Prosecutors on Thursday witnesses to build their ar- tional Association of Chiefs
rested their case against Pot- gument that Potter, who re- of Police, told the court