Farmworker Indigenous Language Outreach Program.

Existing law establishes the Division of Occupational Safety and Health, known as Cal-OSHA, in the Department of Industrial Relations. Existing law prohibits a person from acting as a farm labor contractor without a license issued by the Labor Commissioner, and requires a licensed farm labor contractor to comply with various employment laws and practices, including providing training in sexual harassment in the language understood by the agricultural employee. This bill would require Cal-OSHA to establish and administer a program to commence July 1, 2023, except as specified, by contracting with community-based organizations to provide prescribed outreach services to farmworkers in indigenous languages. The bill would require the contracted community-based organizations to conduct initial outreach within 3 months of implementation of the program. The bill would require Cal-OSHA to provide a liaison in each of its regions to work directly with community-based organizations to answer questions and respond to complaints that arise from indigenous language speakers. The bill would also require Cal-OSHA to provide technical support for community-based organizations to interpret regulations adopted pursuant to the bill and to help develop outreach materials that are culturally appropriate for farmworkers who speak indigenous languages. The bill would require Cal-OSHA, on and after January 1, 2023, to track and post on its internet website prescribed information relating to the program. The bill would require Cal-OSHA, on or before December 31, 2028, to submit a report to the Legislature evaluating the implementation of the program, including aspects of the outreach that were successful or could be improved, among other things.