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 November 24, 2020 Los Angeles City Council Meeting agenda. There is one item in particular that could impact you.
Workers Who Could be Impacted: Out-of-Work Angelenos
As discussed in a prior post a June 9, 2020 Motion by Councilmember Herb Wesson, Jr. (10th District) called for the Council to “instruct the Economic and Workforce Development Department and the Personnel Department with assistance from the City Administrative Officer and Chief Legislative Analyst, to work with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, to solicit input from community groups and non-profits and report back with a public/private, New Deal style hiring plan for a Community Care Corps, to fill gaps in our health care system as well as provide meaningful employment to residents who need it.” The Motion was adopted on June 30, 2020.
On November 5, 2020, Mayor Eric Garcetti transmitted a Report entitled “Economic and Workforce Development Depar[t]ment (EWDD) Report Back On The Development Of A Community Care Corps – LA Community Care Corp, And Review Of Community Build Proposal” to the City Council.
The Report provided in part “the COVID-19 pandemic will have hundreds of thousands of Angelenos seeking employment opportunities for the very near future. The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically altered the labor market for all Los Angeles residents. Unprecedented unemployment rates of over 20 percent will require the City to have a long-term strategic workforce development plan to address the long-lasting impacts of the pandemic. Unfortunately, the housing and homelessness crisis will also be exacerbated by the strong downturn in the economy…On September 11, 2020, EWDD received an unsolicited proposal from Community Build…to utilize $15 million in CARES Act funding to provide subsidized work experience for approximately 1,000 individuals. As a result, the [Chief Legislative Analyst (CLA)] requested EWDD to provide Council with a report regarding the feasibility of the Community Build proposal…Although Community Build’s proposal does address the urgent need for subsidized employment in the region, there are several other feasibility factors that must be taken into consideration.” The Report then concludes “[t]he objective of expending the proposed $15 million in CARES Act funds by December 30, 2020 will be challenging for both EWDD’s workforce development system and any community based organization.”
The Report was referred to the City Council’s Ad Hoc Committee on COVID-19 Recovery and Neighborhood Investment which approved it on November 17, 2020.
Now, agenda item 14 of the November 24, 2020 LA City Council Meeting calls for the Council to “1. [authorize] the General Manager, the General Manager, Economic and Workforce Development Department (EWDD), to: a. Accept up to $5 million in CARES Act funding to implement the LA Community Care Corp program, in order to provide transitional employment services to 608 individuals impacted by the novel coronavirus pandemic and to allocate funding…b. Use existing WorkSource Centers (WSC) selected through a Request for Proposals in 2018 to provide transitional employment and career services. c. Negotiate and execute agreements with 16 existing WSC’s for the period November 17, 2020 through December 30, 2020…d. Negotiate and execute an agreement with Community Build Inc, in the amount not to exceed $200,000 to provide technical assistance to the LA Community Care Corps project. e. Negotiate reallocate funding between service providers, as necessary in order to maximize services to Los Angeles residents. 2. [instruct] the General Manager, EWDD, to prepare Controller instructions and/or any necessary technical adjustments consistent with Mayor and Council action, subject to the review of the City Administrative Officer.”
We hope these updates are helpful to you.
Fraternally,
SR Holguin, PC