Bill Text: CA AB800 | 2023-2024 | Regular Session | Amended

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Workplace Readiness Week: work permits.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 13-0)

Status: (Passed) 2023-09-30 - Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 271, Statutes of 2023. [AB800 Detail]

Download: California-2023-AB800-Amended.html

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Amended  IN  Assembly  April 03, 2023

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 800

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Introduced by Assembly Member Ortega
(Coauthors: Assembly Members Calderon, Wendy Carrillo, Connolly, Haney, and Santiago) Stephanie Nguyen, Santiago, and Wicks)
(Coauthors: Senators Durazo, Gonzalez, and Smallwood-Cuevas)

February 13, 2023

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An act to add Section 49110.5 to the Education Code, relating to pupil instruction.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 800, as amended, Ortega. Workplace Readiness Week: work permits.

Existing law deems the month of May to be Labor History Month throughout the public schools, and encourages school districts to commemorate that month with appropriate educational exercises that make pupils aware of the role the labor movement has played in shaping California and the United States.

This bill would require the first full week in May week of each year that includes April 28 to be known as “Workplace Readiness Week.” The bill would require public all secondary schools to annually observe that week and educate by providing information to pupils on their rights as workers, and would specify the topics to be covered. The bill would require the observance and education observances to be integrated into the regular school program and to be mandatory for pupils in grades 11 and 12. 12, consistent with the history-social science framework. By imposing additional duties on public school officials, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would require the Superintendent of Public Instruction to annually send a written notice to every secondary school with certain information relating to Workplace Readiness Week, as provided.

Existing law authorizes specific school administrators to issue a work permit to pupils subject to specific requirements, including requiring certain information to be included on the work permit.

This bill would require any minor seeking the signature of a verifying authority on a Statement of Intent to Employ a Minor and Request for a Work Permit-Certificate of Age to be issued, before or at the time of receiving the signature of the verifying authority, a document clearly explaining basic labor rights extended to workers, including specified Workplace Readiness Week education topics. as provided. The bill would require the document to be in the primary language spoken by the pupil any language spoken by 5% or more of the pupils enrolled in the school, and to express those labor rights in plain, natural terminology easily understood by the pupil. The bill would require the document to be in a physical form and would authorize the form to also be provided electronically. The To the extent these requirements would impose additional duties on public school officials, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

The bill would authorize bona fide labor organizations to create and provide to public schools sample forms meeting those requirements. To the extent these requirements would impose additional duties on public school officials, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. encourage the University of California Labor Center to produce, with input from bona fide labor organizations, a draft template for the document to be provided to minors, including the translations specified.

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

Digest Key

Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: YES  

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Bill Text

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

 The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:

(a) It is the intent of the Legislature that California pupils enter the workforce with a strong understanding of their rights as workers, as well as their explicit rights as employed minors.

(b) It is further the intent of the Legislature to equip pupils with this knowledge to protect them from retaliation and discrimination, to ensure that these young workers receive all wages and benefits to which they are entitled, to empower them to refuse unsafe work when necessary, and to prepare them to assert their labor rights whenever these rights are threatened.

(c) It is further the intent of the Legislature that young Californians enter the workforce having received a thorough education on their right to join or organize a union at their workplace.

(d) It is further the intent of the Legislature that secondary schools present state-approved apprenticeship programs as a path towards a living wage career for any pupils.

SEC. 2.

 Section 49110.5 is added to the Education Code, to read:

49110.5.

 (a) The first full week in May week of each year that includes April 28 shall be known as “Workplace Readiness Week.” All public secondary schools shall annually observe that week and educate by providing information to pupils on their rights as workers. The topics covered shall include, but are not limited to, all the following:

(1) Local, state, and federal laws regarding child each of the following issues:

(A) Child labor.

(2)

(B) Wage and hour protections.

(3)

(C) Worker safety.

(4)

(D) Workers’ compensation.

(5)

(E) Paid sick leave.

(6)

(F) Prohibitions against retaliation.

(7)

(G) The right to organize a union in the workplace.

(8)The history of the labor movement and the

(2) The labor movement’s role in winning the protections and benefits described in paragraphs (1) to (7), subparagraphs (A) to (G), inclusive.

(3) An introduction to state-approved apprenticeship programs in California, how to access them, and how they can provide an alternative career path for those who do not attend college.

(b) The observance and education For pupils in grades 11 and 12, the observances required by this section shall: shall be integrated into the regular school program, consistent with the history-social science framework, but may also include special events after regular school hours. This integration is encouraged, but not required, to occur during Workplace Readiness Week.

(1)Be integrated into the regular school program but may also include special events after regular school hours.

(2)Be mandatory for pupils in grades 11 and 12.

(c)(1)Public schools are strongly encouraged to include all grades in observing Workplace Readiness Week.

(2)This section does not prohibit or discourage the education required by this section from being taught to pupils in kindergarten or any of grades 1 to 10, inclusive.

(d)

(c) Any minor seeking the signature of a verifying authority on a Statement of Intent to Employ a Minor and Request for a Work Permit-Certificate of Age under this chapter shall be issued, before or at the time of receiving the signature of the verifying authority, a document clearly explaining basic labor rights extended to workers. Topics covered in this document shall include, but are not limited to, those covered during Workplace Readiness Week, as identified in paragraphs (1) to (7), subparagraphs (A) to (G), inclusive, of paragraph (1) of subdivision (a). The document shall be in the primary language spoken by the pupil available in any language spoken by 5 percent or more of the pupils enrolled in the school and shall express these labor rights in plain, natural terminology easily understood by the pupil. The document shall be in a physical form but may also be provided electronically. Bona fide labor organizations may create and provide to public schools sample forms meeting the requirements of this subdivision. The University of California Labor Center is encouraged to produce, with input from bona fide labor organizations, a draft template for the document to be provided to minors, including the translations specified.

(d) The Superintendent shall annually send a written notice, detailing requirements of Workplace Readiness Week and how teachers may access related instructional materials and other resources, to every secondary school at least one month before Workplace Readiness Week.

SEC. 3.

 If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.