Friday, January 8, 2021
Frontline workers of certain large grocery and pharmacy retailers in Los Angeles County and other municipalities across the state may soon receive an additional $4.00 to $5.00 an hour in “hero pay” or “hazard pay” during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Background
Since March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically impacted our communities. Low-income communities and communities of color have been hit particularly hard. Currently, the state is experiencing a record-breaking wave of COVID-19 cases. Grocery retailers that perform essential work have experienced an increase in outbreaks. Research suggests that employees with direct customer exposure are five times more likely to test positive for the virus than those without such exposure.
Proposed Ordinance Would Require Employers to Pay an Additional $5 per Hour
On January 5, 2021, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved a motion, proposed by new Board Chair Supervisor Hilda Solis and newly elected Supervisor Holly Mitchell, that takes steps toward requiring certain frontline grocery and retail food employers in the County to pay an additional “hero pay” wage during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The motion, which was passed by a vote of 4-0 (with Supervisor Kathryn Barger abstaining), calls for the County Counsel to prepare an urgency ordinance for the board to consider at its upcoming meeting on January 26, 2021.
Details of the planned ordinance include the following:
Deputy DA slams George Gascónâs policies, accuses the newly-elected DA of creating hostile work environment
Newly-elected DA George Gascón is once again under fire, this time within his own office. I will not allow George Gascón to bully me or belittle me or discriminate against me, says Deputy District Attorney Jonathan Hatami.
LOS ANGELES - The longtime Los Angeles County prosecutor is speaking out against his boss, newly-elected George Gascón. He just has a blanket policy for every case, no matter what the facts are or aren’t. The same thing applies to a drug case as a murder case and that’s unreasonable and doesn’t make any sense, says Hatami.
Quick Summary / Abstract:
Members of the public who wish to make comment to the Board of Directors of the William S. Hart Joint School Financing Authority are invited to submit written comments by email to wshpubliccomments@hartdistrict.org no later than 4:00 p.m., December 16. Please reference Joint School Financing Authority in the title of the email and limit comments to a maximum of two minutes when read aloud. Under the requirements of State law, the Board cannot take action on items not identified on the agenda and will not make decisions on such matters.
VI. Election of Authority Officers
Speaker:
Los Angeles County Board of Supervisor Kathryn Barger is set to host another drive-thru food giveaway in Castaic on Friday, Dec. 18, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The event is scheduled from 9 a.m. to noon at the Castaic Lake State Recreation Area. There will not be any walk-ups, according to her office.
Attendees are advised to wear a face mask and note that line formation is scheduled to start at 8:30 a.m. Friday.
“As we approach the holidays, I’m grateful for opportunities to ensure every family in our community is cared for and fed,” Barger wrote in a prepared statement. “I invite Santa Clarita Valley residents to our grocery giveaway to fill up their pantry so they have meals throughout the season.”