AB 845: Employment: complaints: agricultural employees.

Existing law establishes the Labor and Workforce Development Agency, consisting of various departments and entities, including the Agricultural Labor Relations Board and the Department of Industrial Relations. Existing law requires the Agricultural Labor Relations Board to, among other things, maintain a telephone line, as specified, for the purpose of providing interested persons with information concerning their rights and responsibilities, as prescribed, or for referring persons to the appropriate agency or entity with the capacity to render advice or help in dealing with any situation arising out of agricultural labor disputes. Existing law requires the Department of Industrial Relations to, among other things, perform specified functions, including fostering, promoting, and developing the welfare of the wage earners of California, to improve their working conditions, and to advance their opportunities for profitable employment. Existing law establishes the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement, under the direction of the Labor Commissioner, within the Department of Industrial Relations and sets forth its powers and duties regarding the enforcement of labor laws. Existing law also establishes the Division of Occupational Safety and Health within the Department of Industrial Relations and requires the division to enforce all occupational safety and health standards, as specified.

This bill would, upon appropriation by the Legislature, require the Agricultural Labor Relations Board, Department of Industrial Relations, Division of Labor Standards Enforcement, or Division of Occupational Safety and Health, upon intake of a complaint from an agricultural employee by any department, division, or board within the Labor and Workforce Development Agency, to collaborate with each other and take all reasonable efforts to transmit the complaint to the appropriate entity for processing and investigation. The bill would prohibit the transmitting entity from disclosing the identity and personal information of the agricultural employee complainant to the extent prohibited by law without their consent. The bill would define various terms for these purposes.