Workplace Face Covering and Physical Distancing Guidance

To: The Caltech Community
From: Thomas F. Rosenbaum, President and David A. Tirrell, Provost
Date: June 14, 2021
Re: Workplace face covering and physical distancing guidance

While state and local health authorities intend to remove physical distancing and face covering requirements in most public settings on Tuesday, June 15, we write to remind you that by state order these changes do not apply to employees in the workplace. At Caltech, all employees, regardless of vaccination status, must continue to wear face coverings and maintain six feet of physical distance from others in indoor settings beyond June 15. Indoor settings at Caltech include shared office spaces, laboratories, and athletic and dining facilities.

This requirement, which is mandated by the state's workplace safety agency Cal/OSHA, is in effect until the agency's standards board approves new rules for worksites. Later this week, the Cal/OSHA board is expected to consider revised regulations that propose to ease masking requirements for fully vaccinated employees and to remove physical distancing rules for most workspaces. If approved, the new workplace standards are expected to take effect by the end of the month.

Caltech is prepared to ease its physical distancing and face covering requirements as soon as a change in worksite regulations is approved. Until then, all members of the community—regardless of their vaccination status—must continue to practice physical distancing and to use a face covering indoors.

All members of the community who are fully vaccinated are reminded to submit documentation of immunization today. Anyone who has not documented their vaccination with the Institute is considered to be unvaccinated.

We will update our campus guidelines when Cal/OSHA announces new workplace standards.