SR Holguin, PC is a union-side labor and employment law firm with nearly four decades of experience representing private sector unions, public sector unions, and multi-employer trust funds. SR Holguin, PC is committed to providing full-service legal representation to each of our clients.
One way in which SR Holguin, PC ensures our clients and their members stay informed is by keeping you updated on recent developments relating to workers’ rights. Today’s updates come following the release of the August 25, 2020 Los Angeles City Council meeting agenda. There are two items in particular that could impact you.
1. Workers Who Could Be Impacted: Undocumented Immigrants Interested in Becoming City of Los Angeles Employees
On July 29, 2020, Councilmember Gil Cedillo (1st District) introduced a Motion that provided in part “The pandemic destroyed large swaths of jobs that were filled by undocumented persons, and many of the new jobs that have become available since the start of the pandemic are closed to individuals without work authorization…While the State has provided some COVID-19 relief support for the undocumented community, the City and County could do more to assist this significant population, by removing legal status requirements from job postings. Currently, the City and County have jobs that include a legal status requirement, which renders undocumented immigrants unable to apply for these positions. It would benefit the City and County to reevaluate whether jobs should continue to be closed off to a significant, vulnerable portion of the population.”
As such, the Motion called for “the Personnel Department [to] prepare a report with a list of City and County jobs that have a legal status requirement, in order to begin the conversation of how to hire for these jobs without consideration of an applicant’s legal status.”
The Motion was heard by the Personnel and Animal Welfare Committee on August 19, 2020. The Committee’s report states in part “[a]fter consideration and having provided an opportunity for public comment, the Committee Chair [Councilmember Paul Koretz (5th District)] moved to recommend approval of the Motion. This matter is now submitted to Council for its consideration.”
Agenda item 23 of the August 25, 2020 Los Angeles City Council meeting agenda calls for the full City Council’s consideration of the motion and the Committee’s recommendation for its approval.
2. Workers Who Could Be Impacted: Undocumented City of Los Angeles Employees
On July 29, 2020, Councilmember Gil Cedillo (1st District) introduced a Motion seconded by Council President Nury Martinez (6th District) for Councilmember Herb Wesson, Jr. (10th District). The Motion provides in part “The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed the significant hurdles that undocumented people face in the United States upon losing employment. These people are not afforded the same rights as their neighbors, and are denied unemployment benefits and relief opportunities. During the pandemic, undocumented people have been forced to continue to work in dangerous conditions in order to survive. The City could take additional steps to protect its undocumented population, and provide these individuals with job opportunities, and with a pathway toward citizenship. The City currently allows [Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals] DACA recipients to apply for open positions, but a new program could be created that would provide additional support to individuals without work authorization. The City could create a new jobs program that would provide a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants. This program could provide support to participants as they navigate the pathway toward naturalization, as part of a participant’s employment.”
As such, the Motion called for “the Personnel Department [to] be directed to report, with assistance from the City Administrative Officer and the City Attorney, on the creation of a program that would provide a pathway to citizenship through City jobs, which seeks to support undocumented City employees through the naturalization process.”
The Motion was heard in the Personnel and Animal Welfare Committee meeting on August 19, 2020. The Committee’s report states in part “[a]fter consideration and having provided an opportunity for public comment, the Committee Chair [Councilmember Paul Koretz (5th District)] moved to recommend approval of the Motion. This matter is now submitted to Council for its consideration.”
Agenda item 24 of the August 25, 2020 Los Angeles City Council meeting agenda calls for the full City Council’s consideration of the Motion and the Committee’s recommendation for its approval.
We hope these updates are helpful to you.
Fraternally,
SR Holguin, PC
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