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ALRB general counsel: settlements will send funds to workers; agency reported statewide Labor Rights Week outreach
Summary
General Counsel Julia Montgomery reported the board approved a settlement resolving misclassification and wage claims with payments to six workers and civil penalties, and a separate Region 2 settlement for Baladao Dairy. Montgomery also summarized Labor Rights Week outreach across multiple consulates and community events.
General Counsel Julia Montgomery told the Agricultural Labor Relations Board on Aug. 29 that the agency has approved settlements that will deliver monetary relief to workers and that staff conducted statewide outreach during Labor Rights Week.
"The board also found that the respondent willfully misclassified the workers as independent contractors and ordered that civil penalties be issued under labor code section 226.8," Montgomery said, describing a settlement in which the respondent agreed on Aug. 14 to pay $224,674 to six workers for back pay, interest and excess tax liability and to pay $35,000 in civil penalties to the Labor and Workforce Development Agency. Montgomery said the board approved the settlement and staff will shortly distribute funds to workers.
Montgomery also described a Region 2 settlement in a complaint against Baladao Dairy, in which the respondent agreed to pay $11,387 in back wages and an additional $3,000 in lieu of reinstatement, and to provide notice remedies and supervisor training about obligations under the Agricultural Labor Relations Act and workers' rights.
On outreach, Montgomery said the agency participated in Labor Rights Week events led by Mexican consulates and community partners across the state, including presentations and "mobile consulate" events in San Jose, Oxnard, San Francisco and Fresno. She said staff attended a Tri-County Central Labor Council Labor Day picnic in Oxnard where organizers estimated over 1,000 attendees and ALRB staff distributed more than 200 wallet cards and pamphlets to farm workers.
"It sounds like it was a great event," Montgomery said, adding that staff reported new community connections and interest in future collaboration.
Ending: Montgomery closed by noting the settlements will allow the agency to distribute funds to affected workers and that staff will continue outreach aimed at farmworkers and community partners.
