For California Employers, Seating Is a Hazy Topic
News
2.14.14
John Skousen offered insight in a Shrm.org article entitled “For California Employers, Seating Is a Hazy Topic.”
The article posed the question, “Are employers required to provide seats for workers who stand for long periods?”
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals is seeking clarification from the California Supreme Court.
The federal appeals court is trying to determine employers’ precise obligations in these types of circumstances.
John advises companies to offer seats in some clearly defined situations.
“In circumstances where there’s an appreciable amount of dead time, and where the job doesn’t require standing, and the employee isn’t regularly assigned other duties, employers would be wise to provide them with suitable seating that complies with the safety requirements of the workplace,” he said.
However, this won’t apply to many workers, according to John.
“There are relatively few jobs where the employer doesn’t assign other duties when there’s a lack of customers,” he noted.
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Related People
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- John K. Skousen
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