A new office to educate workers and businesses about minimum wage requirements, labor protections and, in the future, to enforce local labor laws was launched Tuesday by the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors.
“The county’s economic health depends on industries that tend to pay low wages, including the food service industry, personal care and service industries, janitorial maintenance and healthcare support operations,” Dave Pine, president of the Board of Supervisors, said in a press release. “Having an in-house Office of Labor Standards Enforcement will allow the county to strengthen worker protections, especially for our most vulnerable and at-risk workers.”
It will be called the Office of Labor Standards Enforcement, a countywide clearinghouse for accurate and up-to-date information on laws that affect low-wage workers. The resolution was jointly introduced by Pine and Supervisor Ray Mueller. In approving the resolution, the board vowed specific attention would be paid to low-income workers, workers from vulnerable populations such as women, people of color, immigrants, people who identify as LGBTQIA+, refugees and individuals with disabilities, according to the county.
Mueller said he anticipates the county will establish an advice line for workers and businesses seeking information or assistance with labor standards compliance or workplace issues.
The County Executive’s Office is set to return with recommendations on the specific powers and structure of the new office, including options for enforcement. The new office is expected to be up and running by July 1, 2024, with an initial focus on education. A subcommittee of Pine and Mueller will continue to work on details of establishing the office, according to the county.
“I’m so incredibly excited about the establishment of a San Mateo County Office of Labor Standards Enforcement,” Julie Lind, executive secretary of the San Mateo County Central Labor Council, said in the press release. “This is something we in the labor community have been advocating for since 2014. We are grateful to President Pine and Supervisor Mueller for making our passion project their own, and to the rest of the Board for their support. This labor of love will be an incredible resource for our community, and it is one that can’t come soon enough.”
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