Cal/OSHA Appeals Board: employer appeal of special order or action order (15 working days from receipt)

15 court days after employer receives a division special order or action order (lab. code 6308), under Lab. Code 6600.5, 6601.5; 8 CCR 347(ee), 348(a).

Rule text

Lab. Code 6600.5: "Any employer served with a special order or any action order by the division pursuant to Section 6308, or any other person obligated to the employer as specified in subdivision (b) of Section 6319, may appeal to the appeals board within 15 working days from the receipt of the order with respect to the action ordered by the division, abatement periods, the reasonableness of the changes required by the division to abate the condition." Lab. Code 6601.5: "If, within 15 working days from receipt of a special order, or action order by the division, the employer fails to notify the appeals board that he or she intends to contest the order, and no notice contesting the abatement period is filed by any employee or representative of the employee within that time, the order shall be deemed a final order of the appeals board and not subject to review by any court or agency. The 15-day period may be extended by the appeals board for good cause."

Lab. Code 6600.5, 6601.5; 8 CCR 347(ee), 348(a), official source

Calculate this deadline

Deadline
Tuesday, December 1, 2026
  1. Trigger (Employer receives a Division special order or action order (Lab. Code 6308)): Friday, November 6, 2026.
  2. Count 15 court days (Saturdays, Sundays, and court holidays are not counted): Tuesday, December 1, 2026.
Rules applied
Lab. Code 6600.5, 6601.5; 8 CCR 347(ee), 348(a)
Lab. Code 6600.5: "Any employer served with a special order or any action order by the division pursuant to Section 6308, or any other person obligated to the employer as specified in subdivision (b) of Section 6319, may appeal to the appeals board within 15 working days from the receipt of the order with respect to the action ordered by the division, abatement periods, the reasonableness of the changes required by the division to abate the condition." Lab. Code 6601.5: "If, within 15 working days from receipt of a special order, or action order by the division, the employer fails to notify the appeals board that he or she intends to contest the order, and no notice contesting the abatement period is filed by any employee or representative of the employee within that time, the order shall be deemed a final order of the appeals board and not subject to review by any court or agency. The 15-day period may be extended by the appeals board for good cause."
Official source
Gov. Code 6800; Gov. Code 6707 (filings with a state agency); CCP 12, 12a, 13; agency rules 8 CCR 10600 (WCAB), 8 CCR 32130 (PERB), 22 CCR 5000 'Holiday' definition (CUIAB)
Gov. Code 6800: "The time in which any act provided by law is to be done is computed by excluding the first day, and including the last, unless the last day is a holiday, and then it is also excluded." Gov. Code 6707: "When the last day for filing any instrument or other document with a state agency falls upon a Saturday or holiday, such act may be performed upon the next business day with the same effect as if it had been performed upon the day appointed." 8 CCR 10600: "(a) The time in which any act provided by these rules is to be performed is computed by excluding the first day and including the last. (b) Unless otherwise provided by law, if the last day for exercising or performing any right or duty to act or respond falls on a weekend, or on a holiday for which the offices of the Workers' Compensation Appeals Board are closed, the act or response may be performed or exercised upon the next business day." 8 CCR 32130(a)-(b) (PERB): "(a) In computing any period of time under these regulations, except under Section 32776(c), (d), (e) and (f), the period of time begins to run the day after the act or occurrence referred to. (b) Whenever the last date to file a document falls on Saturday, Sunday, or a holiday, as defined in Government Code Sections 6700 and 6701, or PERB offices are closed, the time period for filing shall be extended to and include the next regular PERB business day. The extension of time provided herein shall be applied subsequent to the application of any other extension of time provided by these regulations or by other applicable law." CCP 12a(a): "If the last day for the performance of any act provided or required by law to be performed within a specified period of time is a holiday, then that period is hereby extended to and including the next day that is not a holiday. For purposes of this section, “holiday” means all day on Saturdays, all holidays specified in Section 135 and, to the extent provided in Section 12b, all days that by terms of Section 12b are required to be considered as holidays."
Official source
  • Same mechanics as the citation appeal (receipt-based, working days, no mail extension). Working days: 8 CCR 347(ee) defines "Working Day" as any day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or State-recognized holiday under Gov. Code 6700 and 6701 (the broad state holiday list, including Lincoln Day, Lunar New Year, Genocide Remembrance Day, Juneteenth, Admission Day, Native American Day, Columbus Day and Diwali). The engine's state-office holiday list is narrower, so a forward count over one of those extra holidays can come out one day EARLY (conservative); lawyer should confirm.
  • If the clerk's office is closed or inaccessible on the last day (weather, emergency or local closure orders), the deadline may be extended. Check local orders.

This calculator applies the cited rules to the dates you enter. It is not legal advice. Court orders, local rules, and case-specific facts can change a deadline; verify before relying on it. Rule set pending attorney review.

Worked example

Employer receives a Division special order or action order (Lab. Code 6308) on Monday, March 15, 2027, personal service: due Tuesday, April 6, 2027.

  1. Trigger (Employer receives a Division special order or action order (Lab. Code 6308)): Monday, March 15, 2027.
  2. Count 15 court days (Saturdays, Sundays, and court holidays are not counted): Tuesday, April 6, 2027.

Notes

Same mechanics as the citation appeal (receipt-based, working days, no mail extension). Working days: 8 CCR 347(ee) defines "Working Day" as any day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or State-recognized holiday under Gov. Code 6700 and 6701 (the broad state holiday list, including Lincoln Day, Lunar New Year, Genocide Remembrance Day, Juneteenth, Admission Day, Native American Day, Columbus Day and Diwali). The engine's state-office holiday list is narrower, so a forward count over one of those extra holidays can come out one day EARLY (conservative); lawyer should confirm.

Related deadlines

All California agencies deadlines

Rules current as of 2026-10-27. Confirm against the official source and any local rule or court order before relying on a date. Rules changelog.