FELS Newsletter: August 2025

California Department of Finance Director Joe Stepenshaw released on Aug. 1 his annual inflation adjustment for the California minimum wage. Stepenshaw found the United States Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers, or U.S. CPI-W, increased 2.49 percent in the 12-month period from July 1, 2023, to July 1, 2024, resulting in […]

FELS’ Sacramento office has received from subscribers and clients in recent days calls with reports of various types of apparently immigration-related enforcement activities. Social media reports of supposed enforcement activity in the Santa Barbara County community of Guadalupe on July 28 could not be confirmed. On July 15, an employee was detained at a Northern […]

FELS Farm Entrance sign informs law enforcement officers they are not authorized to enter your property or premises without express consent of an appropriate company representative, and provides names and telephone numbers where those individuals can be reached. You can post the sign at each entrance to your farm or ranch where an enforcement agent […]

Farm Employers Labor Service is recruiting for our team of Labor Management Consultants (LMCs) to serve California farm employers. FELS has partnered with California agricultural employers since 1970 to assist with regulatory and legal compliance and human resources management, helping our clients and customers be employers of choice in their community. The primary function of […]

Defending Your Land and Controlling Access to Your Farm or Ranch: Sept. 12, 10 AM: Recent news in California reinforces the importance of controlling access to your farm and ranch. You have the right to control access to your land, even when various enforcement agencies seek access, but what about non-governmental organizations, activists, journalists, and […]

There is no rest for agricultural employers, though there is now additional time off available to agricultural employees in California. On Jan. 1, Senate Bill 1105 became effective, expanding and adding to the reasons an agricultural employee can use paid sick leave. SB 1105 expanded the state’s Paid Sick Leave law, giving outdoor agricultural employees […]

Now that the busy summer months have arrived it is especially important for California agricultural employers stay compliant. Employers must pay close attention to the full scope of compensable time and rest break obligations, especially during high heat conditions. These topics are areas that are consistently targeted by plaintiff attorneys and enforcement agencies alike. Under […]

Safety Tips for Workers During Harvest