As summer heats up, California promotes safety for all workers, including youth

NEWS RELEASE

FRESNO—As summer temperatures rise, California is reminding employers and workers of their rights and responsibilities to help ensure safe, healthy, and lawful workplaces.

Adding to this effort is the launch of the Child Labor Compliance Assistance Team (CLCAT), a multi-department outreach pilot program launched under the Labor and Workforce Development Agency (LWDA) that includes the Labor Commissioner's Office (LCO), Cal/OSHA, the Employment Development Department (EDD), and the Agricultural Labor Relations Board (ALRB).

CLCAT focuses on protecting young farmworkers while promoting safe and lawful working conditions for all agricultural workers through education, outreach and employer compliance assistance.

Since launching last month, CLCAT has moved quickly, visiting agricultural worksites and speaking directly with employers, workers, and advocates about workplace safety.

From June 2 through July 2, teams conducted 239 outreach visits across 11 counties, reaching employers, workers, families and advocates. This effort generated strong engagement, reflecting a high level of interest in compliance assistance and educational resources.

What Labor Secretary Stewart Knox said: “The Child Labor Compliance Assistance Team is strengthening how we connect with communities and support young workers. This effort reflects our commitment to reinforcing the safety, fair treatment and protections from unlawful or dangerous working conditions that define California’s workforce.”

What California Labor Commissioner Lilia García-Brower said: “Too often, child labor violations go unreported, leaving young workers vulnerable to exploitation and unsafe conditions. Proactive education and outreach to employers and workers are critical to protect youth, support families and ensure every worker has access to safe and legal workplaces.”

What Cal/OSHA Chief Debra Lee said: "California has some of the strongest worker protections in the nation, but if workers, especially young people entering the workforce, do not know or fully understand their rights, they may be exposed to hazardous conditions. Our goal is to prevent workplace injuries and illnesses through education and outreach."

Outreach teams visit worksites to provide employers with compliance information and educational materials while sharing resources for minors, including the Child Labor Booklet.

Topics covered include issues such as workplace rights, safety, wages, work hours, heat illness prevention, retaliation protections, permits for minors and information on how to contact agencies and community organizations for assistance.

Teams explain these protections, answer questions and connect employers, workers, families, and advocates with available resources.

What EDD Director Nancy Farias said: “It’s vital that young people entering California’s workforce have the support and information they need to gain experience in safe, lawful and professional environments. Through our statewide partnerships, we will continue working diligently to ensure employment-related resources are accessible to workers of all ages.”

What ALRB Deputy General Counsel Franchesca Herrera said: "All agricultural workers, including our youngest workers out in the fields for the first time, deserve to know their rights and feel empowered to exercise them. We believe strong outreach and education with employers will help ease the barriers workers face when speaking up, including fear related to their immigration status, the possibility of losing a job they rely on and language access issues. We hope that through this effort, workers will know help is available and that all parties involved in agriculture will have more information about labor protections in California."

Workplace heat Hazards

Summer brings higher temperatures that increase the risk of heat illness for workers on the job. Young workers may be especially vulnerable because they are often new to the workforce and unfamiliar with potential hazards and workplace rights.

All workers should know the signs and symptoms of heat illness, including headache, dizziness, weakness, muscle cramps, nausea, increased heart rate, and fatigue.

Cal/OSHA's indoor and outdoor heat illness prevention standards require employers to provide fresh drinking water, access to shade or cool-down areas, training, and emergency response procedures to help prevent heat-related illnesses and injuries. Additional heat illness prevention tips are available in English and Spanish in Cal/OSHA's Heat Illness Prevention Pocket Guide.

Protecting young workers

CLCAT originally launched in Fresno County and has continued to expand into areas throughout the state. Information obtained will help inform future outreach efforts with the goal of reaching young workers in other industries beyond agriculture.

In addition to CLCAT, DIR supports a variety of programs and initiatives that promote workplace safety and labor rights for young workers, including the LCO’s Youth Advocate Program, California Partnership for Young Worker Health and Safety, Young Worker Leadership Academy, California youth apprenticeship opportunities, Safe Jobs for Youth Month, and partnerships with organizations that provide education and resources to young workers.

Additional information about California's child labor laws, workplace protections and Cal/OSHA's heat illness prevention requirements is available on DIR’s website.

About ALRB

ALRB enforces the Agricultural Labor Relations Act, which states that “it is the policy of the State of California to encourage and protect the right of agricultural employees to full freedom of association, self-organization, and designation of representatives of their own choosing, to negotiate the terms and conditions of their employment, and to be free from the interference, restraint, or coercion of employers of labor, or their agents, in the designation of such representatives of in self-organization or in other concerted activities for the purpose of collective bargaining or other mutual aid or protection.” The ALRB is headquartered in Sacramento and maintains field offices in Santa Maria, Salinas, Oxnard, Visalia, Santa Rosa and Indio. Those wishing to access services may call any ALRB office or contact us at our statewide toll-free phone number, (800) 449-3699. More information is available at www.alrb.ca.gov.  

About the Employment Development Department

The Employment Development Department (EDD) supports California’s workers, job seekers, employers, and communities through benefit programs, workforce services, and payroll tax administration. We are committed to delivering accessible, responsive, and innovative services that strengthen economic opportunities across California. More information is available at www.edd.ca.gov.

About the Labor Commissioner’s Office

LCO combats wage theft and unfair competition by investigating allegations of illegal and unfair business practices.

In 2020, LCO launched a multi-pronged outreach campaign, “Reaching Every Californian.” The campaign amplifies basic protections and builds pathways to affected populations, so workers and employers understand legal protections and obligations, as well as the Labor Commissioner’s enforcement procedures.

Employers with questions about labor law requirements may contact: MakeItFair@dir.ca.gov, LCO’s Business Engagement Program, which promotes fair and legal business practices and helps employers compete on a level playing field.

Workers who have questions about labor laws enforced by LCO can call 1-833-LCO-INFO (833-526-4636) between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Californians can follow the Labor Commissioner on Facebook, Instagram and X (Twitter).

About Cal/OSHA

Cal/OSHA helps protect workers from health and safety hazards on the job in almost every workplace in California.

Workers in California are protected regardless of immigration status. Workers who have questions about safety and health in the workplace can call 833-579-0927 to speak with a live, bilingual Cal/OSHA representative between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Complaints about workplace safety and health hazards can be filed confidentially with Cal/OSHA district offices.

Employers who have questions or need assistance with workplace health and safety programs can contact Cal/OSHA’s Consultation Services Branch at 800-963-9424, contact their local Cal/OSHA Consultation Office, or email InfoCons@dir.ca.gov.

DIR Media Contact: Communications@dir.ca.gov, (510) 286-1161

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