New mask rules for California state workers: Who still needs a face covering?

Most fully vaccinated California state employees don’t need to wear masks at work anymore, the state Human Resources Department announced Monday.

The state is following Cal-OSHA COVID-19 safety guidance issued last week for all California workers, CalHR Director Eraina Ortega said in an email to state officials.

The major exception to the relaxed rule is state prisons, which will continue to require masks regardless of vaccine status, according to Ortega’s email.

About 65,500 people work at the prisons, and 33,474 are vaccinated against the coronavirus, according to a Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation tracker. About 69,000 of the state’s 98,000 inmates are fully vaccinated, according to the site.

Additionally, vaccinated employees will have to keep masks on while working in health care settings, on public transportation and at transportation hubs, in schools and youth settings and at homeless and emergency shelters, according to Ortega’s email.

Masks are still required for unvaccinated employees, according to the email.

Departments must document state employees’ vaccination status, but they are required to accept employees’ word on their status, and may not require verification, according to the email.

Departments must provide respirators, such as N95s, for unvaccinated employees who request them, the email says.

This story was originally published June 22, 2021 at 11:17 AM.