Committee backs bill to codify California Workplace Outreach Program into law

Sen. Smallwood-Cuevas presented SB 578 to the Assembly Labor and Employment Committee to codify the California Workplace Outreach Program (CWAP) into the Labor Code. The author said CWAP began as a pandemic-era program that used trusted community organizations to provide multilingual workplace-rights education to workers in low-wage, high-violation industries and that the pilot has demonstrated measurable effects in worker awareness and action.

Pam Egan of the UC Berkeley Labor Center testified about independent research showing improvements in worker knowledge and increased likelihood of taking action after CWAP outreach. Alexis Tedoro of the Pomona Economic Opportunity Center described individual worker cases where CWAP-connected organizations assisted with wage claims, safety citations and community response to immigration enforcement. Supporters also included domestic violence and worker-justice organizations, local labor councils, and many community groups.

Supporters said CWAP reached nearly 2 million workers across 38 counties and that the state provided $25 million in program funding during the pilot; the bill would give the program permanent footing in law and ensure ongoing funding and accountability. No witnesses registered opposition. The committee voted to pass SB 578 and re-refer it to the Committee on Appropriations; the vote was reported as 5–0.

Why it matters: supporters said codifying CWAP will stabilize funding for outreach that connects vulnerable workers with information and pathways to enforce labor laws; proponents argued it is especially important amid increased immigration enforcement and climate-driven disasters that leave workers more vulnerable.