Many employees have jobs that require them to stand for hours at a time in often uncomfortable positions. Probably the most common example is cashiering. Cashiers and generally all other employees are entitled to have suitable seats, including chairs, provided by employers when the nature of the work reasonably permits the use of seats. This can be a vague standard.
However, California’s Supreme Court clarified in Kilby v. CVS Pharmacy, Inc. that the “nature of the work” refers to an employee’s tasks performed at a given location for which a right to a suitable seat is claimed; “reasonably permits the use of seats” is objectively based on the totality of the circumstances; and employers may be excused from their obligation if they show compliance is infeasible because no suitable seating exists.
(See Link(s): Industrial Commission Wage Orders Section 13)