When: April 3, 2023, 10 AM
Sponsored by: California Farm Bureau, Farm Employers Labor Service, Monterey County Farm Bureau, San Benito County Farm Bureau, Santa Clara County Farm Bureau, and Santa Cruz County Farm Bureau
Where: Prunedale Grange Hall, 17890 Moro Road, Salinas
COST? Free!
Watch for more card check training date and location announcements and registration information!
NEW DATES ADDED! (In-Person Training): Mandatory Produce Safety Training: The Food Safety Training Partnership, a cooperative effort of California Farm Bureau, Farm Employers Labor Service, and the Safe Food Alliance, is offering produce safety training required by the federal Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). Trainings will be offered in-person in Modesto. The $35 training fee is substantially subsidized by a grant from the California Department of Food and Agriculture. You can find registration and more information at the Food Safety Training Partnership website.
April 4, Monterey County Farm Bureau, Salinas
April 11, Yuba-Sutter Farm Bureau, Yuba City
April 18, Safe Food Alliance, Kingsburg
April 26, California Farm Bureau, Sacramento
May 2, Yolo County Farm Bureau, Woodland
May 11, Kern County Farm Bureau, Bakersfield
May 18, Kings County Farm Bureau, Hanford
June 8, San Diego County Farm Bureau, Escondido
June 15, Safe Food Alliance, Kingsburg
June 29, San Joaquin Farm Bureau Federation, Stockton
ICYMI (In Case You Missed It): Past FELS Webinars/Webinar Videos/Presentation Slides:
Friday, February 24, 2023:
Understanding California’s Pay Data Reporting Requirements: California employers are now subject to greater pay transparency requirements. The recent amendments to California’s current pay data reporting law make it among the strictest in the country. On this webinar, Shaw Law Group expert Jen Shaw leads an interactive discussion of Senate Bill 1162 and the Pay Data Report requirements, including:
- A review of the new FAQs in this area
- How to ensure your pay data reports are compliant
- Understanding the meaning of “labor contractor” and your responsibilities in this area
- How to audit your compensation practices to identify potential risk areas
Review Jen's powerpoint slides
Friday, December 16: SB 1162: New Pay Transparency Requirements for California Employers: SB 1162 (Limon) will add new reporting burdens for California employers in the name of gender equality. What will you need to do to comply? Catherine Houlihan of FELS Group Legal Services Program partner firm Barsamian & Moody explained.
Link to the California Civil Rights Department's pay reporting portal
Catherine Houlihan's presentation slides
Video of the pay transparency webinar
Tuesday, November 8: How Do Ag Employers Deal with the Moving Target of Drug Testing? Many employers, including ag employers, conduct various types of drug testing to assure employees are not impaired in the workplace. Impaired employees pose a real hazard in workplaces with large, powerful and dangerous machinery, and even with employees performing common, every-day tasks. California policymakers have erected various roadblocks and limitations on how employers can ensure the safety of their employees is not threatened by impaired fellow employees. The Governor recently signed into law AB 2188 (Quirk) restricting cannabis testing. How can an ag employer sort all this out? Catherine Houlihan of FELS Group Legal Services Plan partner firm Barsamian & Moody explained it all so you can understand what you can (and what you can’t) do to ensure drug impairment doesn’t endanger the safety of your employees.
You can review Catherine's presentation slides here
You can view a video of the webinar here
Friday, October 28: CalSavers Is Expanding: Are You Ready? CalSavers, California's mandatory employee opt-out retirement savings program is expanding to cover employers of one or more employees (other than the business owner); in other words all employers in California! As of December 31, 2025, all employers will be mandated to register with CalSavers if they are not already furnishing their employees with an IRS tax-favored retirement savings option. Jonathan Herrera, Outreach & Marketing Manager for the CalSavers Retirement Savings Program will brief webinar attendees on the CalSavers program, employer registration, and employer responsibilities. Paul Yossem of Nationwide will explain the CFBF 401k program (Retirement Plan Options Chart; CAFB 401K Program Brochure) available to Farm Bureau members to furnish a tax-favored retirement savings option for employers who prefer not to participate in CalSavers.
You can view a video of the webinar here
Thursday, October 27: Card Check and Ag Employers: What Does AB 2183 Mean for You? Governor Newsom has signed the UFW’s “card check” legislation (AB 2183), totally upending the election process under the Agricultural Labor Relations Act. AB 2183 enacts a complex, bifurcated union election process that will likely entirely replace secret ballot elections with either mail-in balloting or card check; either will provide multiple opportunities for union agents to intimidate and deceive your employees into opting for union representation under ALRB rules that will make it difficult to impossible for employees to reverse when they realize the union can’t keep its extravagant promises. This webinar featured Pat Moody of FELS’ Group Legal Services Program partner firm Barsamian & Moody to help you make sense of this sweeping change in California’s agricultural labor relations law and understand how it may impact your farming or ranching business.
You can view a video of the webinar here; access code is: GC!9aBz3
You can review Pat's presentation slides here
Wednesday, September 28: The California Consumer Privacy Act is Coming Soon; Are You Ready? Before the California Legislature adjourned for 2022, it failed to extend an exemption to the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) for business-to-business and employee-related information. CCPA imposes detailed (and possibly expensive) security and privacy protections for this data; what will you be required to do to comply? Julie Kadish of the Chicago office of national law firm Sheppard Mullin explained how (or if) CCPA applies to your business and what you need to do and need to know before January 1, 2023. Julie is an associate in the Intellectual Property Practice Group in the firm's Chicago office. She is a Lead Associate of Sheppard Mullin's Privacy and Cybersecurity Team.
You can view a video of Julie's presentation here.
August 26, 2022: Arbitration Agreements for California Ag Employers: Do I Need One? How Do I Get One?: California policymakers keep trying to narrow employers’ use of arbitration agreements that require employees to arbitrate disputes over employment-related matters. Federal courts, including in the recent Viking River Cruises case, push back by asserting federal preemption. Employers and their counsel push arbitration rather than resort to California’s crowded and expensive litigation system where the deck is already stacked against employers by the Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA), liberal and sometimes hostile judges, and unsympathetic juries. How will an arbitration policy help you as an employer in California? How big a victory was Viking River Cruises, and how will the union- and employee-friendly California Legislature respond? Catherine Houlihan of FELS Group Legal Services plan partner firm Barsamian & Moody explained it for our audience.
You can view a video of Catherine's presentation here.
You can review Catherine's presentation slides here.
July 7, 2022: Employer Rights During a DOL Investigation: Do you know what to do if you find yourself the unlucky employer chosen for a Department of Labor (DOL) workplace inspection? Catherine Houlihan, Associate Attorney with FELS Group Legal Services Plan partner firm Barsamian & Moody helped our viewers come up with a DOL inspection action plan.
You can review Catherine's presentation slides here.
You can view of video of the webinar here.
June 2, 2022 (webinar): CalSavers Sign-Up Deadline Coming Soon: Are You Ready? CalSavers, California's mandatory employee opt-out retirement savings program is gradually being applied to smaller and smaller employers; in June 2022, employees of 5 or more employees will be mandated to register with CalSavers if they are not already furnishing their employees with an IRS tax-favored retirement savings option. Jonathan Herrera, Outreach & Marketing Manager for the CalSavers Retirement Savings Program will briefed webinar attendees on the CalSavers program, employer registration, and employer responsibilities. Paul Yossem of Nationwide will explained the Nationwide 401k program available to Farm Bureau members to furnish a tax-favored retirement savings option for employers who prefer not to participate in CalSavers.
You can view a video of the webinar here.
May 26, 2022: Is the 3rd Time the Charm? Cal/OSHA ETS Changes Effective May 6: The Cal/OSHA Standards Board has adopted changes to the COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) that are effective on May 6 and will be with us until December 31, 2022. What's changed? Erica Rosasco of McKague Rosasco explained it all for webinar viewers!
You can review Erica's presentation slides here.
You can watch a video of Erica's presentation here.
May 25, 2022: ALRB Do's and Don'ts: An Overview of the Agricultural Labor Relations Act and the Agricultural Labor Relations Board: Rights to protected concerted activity and other rights protected by the Agricultural Labor Relations Act (ALRA) apply to employees even in non-union workplaces. Agricultural Labor Relations Board (ALRB) chair Victoria Hassid will offered insight into the Board's enforcement of these rights.
You can review Chair Hassid's presentation slides here.
Chair Hassid also furnished a fact sheet on employee ALRA rights and Board enforcement here.
March 25, 2022: Streamlining Your Employment Compliance with Harvust: Farm Employers Labor Services is partnering with Harvust, 2021 American Farm Bureau Entrepreneur of the Year, to offer electronic and remote software solutions for hiring, training, and communicating with your employees. FELS subscribers can find FELS training and hiring materials ready to go on Harvust and will receive $500 free use of Harvust tools when they sign up. Riley Clubb, owner of Harvust, briefed webinar participants on how Harvust is streamlining labor compliance for farms in California today, and how FELS subscribers can easily modernize their own workplace and safety culture.
You can view Riley's presentation slides here.
February 23, 2022: COVID Paid Sick Leave is Back! Are You Ready? California has reinstated COVID-19 Paid Sick Leave – 80 hours of paid leave for an employee to recover from COVID-19 or care for a family member with COVID. The new COVID sick leave mandate is retroactive to January 1, 2022, and that means you will need to be ready for demands to pay for sick leave for COVID-related absences in January and February that you didn’t know you’d have to pay for! What will the new COVID paid sick leave mandate require California agricultural employers to do? Catherine M. Houlihan of FELS Group Legal Services Program partner firm Barsamian & Moody briefed viewers on the ins-and-outs of the new COVID paid sick leave mandate and helped viewers prepare for COVID sick leave requests.
You can view video of "COVID Paid Sick Leave is Back! Are You Ready?" here.
You can view and download Catherine's presentation slides here.
You can download a Supplemental Paid Sick Leave (SPSL) request form here (Spanish).
February 7/14, 2022: New Ag Employment Requirements for 2022: 2022 brings new requirements for California agricultural employers. What do you need to know to be in compliance? FELS Chief Operating Officer Bryan Little briefed the audience on important legislative actions taken by the California Legislature in 2021 impact ag employers. Carl Borden of California Farm Bureau's Legal Affairs Division reviewed changes in the California minimum wage and overtime requirements for ag employees that will become effective for employers of 25 or fewer employees in 2022. Paul Yossem, Regional Vice President Private Sector Retirement Plans for California Farm Bureau Premier Partner Nationwide informed participants of the upcoming June 2022 deadline to enroll your business with the CalSavers employee retirement savings program and an alternative offered by Nationwide for Farm Bureau members, the new Farm Bureau Retirement Plan. Last, Seth Merhten of Farm Employers Labor Service Group Legal Services Program partner Barsamian & Moody walked the audience through the ever-evolving Cal/OSHA ETS and changes that will become effective in January 2022.
- You can view a video of the webinar here.
- You can view the slides used by Bryan Little and Carl Borden here.
- You can view the slides used by Seth Mehrten here.
- You can view a chart summarizing various retirement savings options for employers, furnished by Paul Yossem of Nationwide, here.
February 2, 2022: CalSavers Sign-Up Deadline Coming Soon: Are You Ready? CalSavers, California's mandatory employee opt-out retirement savings program is gradually being applied to smaller and smaller employers; in June 2022, employees of 5 or more employees will be mandated to register with CalSavers if they are not already furnishing their employees with an IRS tax-favored retirement savings option. Jonathan Herrera, Outreach & Marketing Manager for the CalSavers Retirement Savings Program briefed attendees on the CalSavers program, employer registration, and employer responsibilities. Paul Yossem, Regional Vice President Private Sector Retirement Plans for California Farm Bureau Premier Partner Nationwide, informed attendees about the new California Farm Bureau Retirement program, partnering with Nationwide to exclusively offer to this benefit to CAFB agricultural members.
You can watch a video of this webinar here.
October 29, 2021: Is "Long COVID" a Disability? What Does That Mean for Employers? The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and Department of Labor believe “Long COVID” may qualify as a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), possibly triggering requirements for employers to make reasonable accommodations for such individuals. How do you need to deal with “COVID Long-Haulers?” How do you, engage in the ADA-required interactive process, manage reasonable accommodations (or make sure you know what a “reasonable accommodation” is?) and how does California Family Rights Act/federal Family and Medical Leave Act job-protected leave, California Supplemental Paid Sick Leave, AB 1522 paid sick leave, vacation benefits, and even your leave of absence policies fit into this? Erica Rosasco of McKague Rosasco walked our audience through this new thicket of requirements for California agricultural employers.
You can watch the recording of Erica's presentation here (passcode is: gwXg^GA7).
You can review Erica's presentation slides here.
September 23 & 24, 2021: Wage & Hour Workshop with Seth Mehrten: Wage and hour litigation continues to plague California employers - Ag employers are no exception. Seth Mehrten of FELS Group Legal Service Plan partner law firm Barsamian & Moody will conduct a two-part workshop on wage-and-hour law and regulations impacting California agricultural employers, including topics like minimum wages, overtime, meal and rest period requirements, and more. This webinar will cover the most frequently litigated wage and hour issues and discuss specific strategies that employers can implement to proactively manage their wage and hour compliance. You can view Seth's presentation slides here. You can view video of Seth's presentation on September 23 here; you can view Seth's presentation from September 24 here.
August 27, 2021: California Family Rights Act Expansion: Are you Covered? How do You Know? The California Legislature passed SB 1383 (Jackson) in 2020, and it became effective on January 1, 2021. It expanded coverage under the California Family Right Act (CFRA) from employers of 50 or more employees to employees of five or more employees. Does this dramatic expansion of CFRA sweep you under its coverage for the first time? What does it require to do? Do you even know what "CFRA" is? Erica Rosasco of McKague Rosasco presented a briefing on CFRA and it's requirements for employers so you'll know what CFRA is, and what it requires you to do. You can view Erica's presentation slides here. You can view a recording of the webinar here.
June 25, 2021: REVISED COVID-19 ETS, Cal/OSHA and Agriculture -- What You Need to Know as an Employer: The Cal/OSHA Standards Board adopted a revised version of the COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) on June 17 with immediate effect that will be effective until January 2022. What does it require ag employers to do? Bryan Little, FELS COO, and Seth Mehrten of FELS Group Legal Service Plan partner firm Barsamian & Moody briefed more than 100 participants on the revised ETS on June 25. You can review Bryan's presentation here. You can review Seth's presentation here. You can view a video of the webinar here.
April 30, 2021: FELS Ag Employment Policy Update: "CalSavers Sign-Up Deadline Coming Soon: Are You Ready?" CalSavers, California's mandatory employee opt-out retirement savings program is gradually being applied to smaller and smaller employers; in June 2020, employees of 50 or more employees will be mandated to register with CalSavers if they are not already furnishing their employees with an IRS tax-favored retirement savings option. Jonathan Herrera, Outreach & Marketing Manager for the CalSavers Retirement Savings Program briefed attendees on the CalSavers program, employer registration, and employer responsibilities. Paul Yossem, Regional Vice President Private Sector Retirement Plans for California Farm Bureau Premier Partner Nationwide, informed attendees about the California Farm Bureau’s Multiple Employer Plan (MEP), partnering with Nationwide to exclusively offer to CAFB agricultural members. He will discuss a variety of options available to business owners, including the CAFB MEP. You can view a video of the webinar here. You can review Jonathan's presentation here; you can review Paul's presentation here.
March 26, 2021: "Ag Employment Policy Update:" Bryan Little of Farm Employers Labor Service, Seth Mehrten of Barsamian & Moody and Taylor Arnold of Hanna Brophy educated viewers about the new SB 95 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave mandate effective March 29, 2021 and COVID-19 vaccines and issues surrounding potential employer vaccine mandates. You can view the presentataion slides here.
March 10, 2021: "Relief Programs: The Latest Updates and Resources:" Co-presented by California Farm Bureau and FELS; with all of the coverage on the changes to the CARES Act, many agri-businesses are still missing out on opportunities to improve their financial position. The team from KCoe Isom explained the latest updates to the CARES Act and how you can maximize your opportunities from the latest programs and assistance. You can view the presentation slides here. You can view a recording of the webinar here.
February 24, 2021: "A Shot in the Arm: Cal/OSHA and Employment Law Issues Related to the COVID-19 Vaccine:" FELS presents this webinar with by Eric J. Conn and Fern Fleischer-Daves of Conn Maciel Carey’s National OSHA Practice. In December 2020, two COVID-19 vaccines received emergency use authorization from the US government and several more vaccines may be approved in the coming months. In the greatest concerted public health effort in the U.S. since the rollout of the Polio vaccine in the 1930's, federal, state and local health agencies are working together - and with private companies - to distribute and administer the COVID-19 vaccine. Agricultural employers in California will play a key role in this effort.
You can view the video of the webinar here; you can view Eric and Fern's slides here.
"Cal/OSHA COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS): What Employers Need to Know:" Cal/OSHA COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard became effective on November 30, 2020, and questions from employers, lawyers, and consultants are coming every day. Does it really require you to test your staff twice a week? And to pay people to not work?
Bryan Little with Farm Employers Labor Service and Seth Mehrten of FELS' Group Legal Service Program partner law firm Barsamian & Moody presented this webinar on January 26, 2021 to help educate you on the requirements of the COVID-19 ETS.
You can view Bryan's presentation slides here.
You can view Seth's presentation slides here.
You can view a video of the webinar here.
You can review the chat q&a here.
"Ag Employment Policy Update:" Bryan Little of Farm Employers Labor Service, Seth Mehrten of Barsamian & Moody and Taylor Arnold of Hanna Brophy provided information on major ag employment policy developments for 2021 and providedyou information and strategies to cope with these new mandates. You can view a video of the webinar here. You can view Taylor Arnold's presentation here. You can view Seth Mehrten's presentation here. You can view Bryan Little's presentation here.
"Sweeping Workers Comp Changes for California Employers: Prepare or Pay": Taylor Arnold and Keith Teague of the employers' workers comp firm Hanna Brophy explained the massive changes brought by SB 1159 (Hill), which created a new "outbreak-triggered" rebuttable presumption of work-relatedness for COVID-19 infections, imposing new costs and compliance mandates for California employers. You can view the presentation slides here. You can view a video of the webinar here.
"New California Family Rights Act Family Medical Leave Requirements for Small Employers": featuring Seth Mehrten, Barsamian & Moody. The governor has signed SB 1383, expanding coverage of California's Family and Medical Rights Act to employers of as few as five employees; until now, CFRA covered only employees of 50 or more. What do small employers need to know about CFRA? You can view a recording of Seth's presentation here. B&M is the partner with Farm Employers Labor Service providing legal assistance for FELS Newsletter subscribers and clients.
"Employee COVID-19 Infections: What Does Cal/OSHA Want me to Record? What do they Want me to Report?" Cal/OSHA is giving employers "report everything" signals on COVID-19; what do you really need to do? The Conn Maciel OSHA Compliance team's presentation has been posted to FELS website. You can view that presentation here.
"CalSavers: 12 Days to the Sign-Up Deadline! What's CalSavers? What are my Alternatives?" State law requires all businesses with 5 or more employees to facilitate CalSavers – a state-sponsored payroll deduction individual retirement account (IRA) – if they do not sponsor a qualified retirement plan. Registration deadlines vary based on employer size. The deadline for eligible employers with more than 100 employees is Sept 30, 2020. Seth Marten of Barsamian & Moody, Paul Yossem of Nationwide, and Jonathan Herrera of CalSavers will help you understand CalSavers and what alternatives are available to employers. You can view Jonathan Herrera's presentation here.
"You Have an Employee with COVID-19; Now What," presented by FELS Group Legal Service Program partner firm associate Seth Mehrten was a huge success, attended by nearly 280 participants; if you missed it, video of Seth's presentation and Seth's PowerPoint presentation is available at this link.
"Outdoor Operations During Hours of Darkness:" California Farm Bureau and FELS, the Califorina Association of Winegrape Growers (CAWG) and the California Farm Labor Contractor Association (CFLCA) presented a webinar on the new standard on night work in agriculture, which will become effective on July 1, 2020. You can view the video of the webinar at this link; you can access the slide deck at this link.
"Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA): FMLA Expansion & Federal Paid Sick Leave" were a huge success! Nearly 1000 agricultural employers viewed the webinars, presented by Patrick S. Moody of FELS Group Legal Services Program parner firm Barsamian & Moody. Slide Deck (.pdf); Webinar Recording