FELS Newsletter: June & July 2026

Hello FELS & Farm Bureau Members; I am excited to introduce myself as the new General Manager of Farm Employers Labor Service (FELS). For those I haven’t had the opportunity to meet yet, my name is Anna Genasci, and I have spent my entire career working in and alongside California agriculture. From production agriculture and […]

Summertime temperatures are appearing across California just as agriculture’s busy season gets underway. Are you ready? California employers are required by Cal/OSHA regulations to protect employees from heat in both indoor and outdoor locations, and FELS has you covered with resources to help you comply and to protect your employees: As always, if you have […]

On the evening of June 17, the U.S. Department of Agriculture released the following announcement: The U.S. Department of Agriculture today welcomed new guidance from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the U.S. Department of Labor clarifying that dairy operations may use the H-2A temporary agricultural worker program when they can demonstrate a […]

The Division of Occupational Safety and Health, Department of Industrial Relations (usually known colloquially as Cal/OSHA) is currently engaged in a rulemaking implementing SB 553, passed by the Legislature in 2024 to require employers to adopt workplace violence prevention plans. That legislation also included a direction to Cal/OSHA to draft and submit to the Cal/OSHA […]

Employment defense attorneys have detected a discernable uptick on enforcement of the Fair Chance Act, (often called “Ban the Box”), a California law designed to reduce barriers to employment for individuals with criminal records. It is intended to ensure job applicants are evaluated based on their skills and qualifications, rather than their conviction history. Who […]

Most employers understand their obligation to address harassment by supervisors and coworkers. Fewer appreciate the risk posed by people who do not work for the organization at all, including customers, vendors, contractors, patients, clients, and members of the public. Claims involving third-party harassment are receiving increased attention, particularly as federal courts continue to grapple with […]

On May 21, the Trump administration largely ended “adjustment of status” for applicants already in the U.S. on temporary visas. Under this directive, most foreign nationals, including temporary workers and students, must now return to their home countries and navigate consular processing through U.S. embassies or consulates to get a green card. Key Policy Changes […]

Governor Newsom’s May 21 order ( https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/5.21.26-AI-Workforce-EO-FINAL-SIGNED.pdf) directs the state government to prepare “for the economic disruption that artificial intelligence will bring to the workforce.” The order intends to “develop new policies, gather data, and identify early warning signs of workforce disruption — while ensuring workers share in the gains created by AI-driven productivity.” The […]

The California Legislature has recessed for the summer.  Since 2026 is an election year, bills that fail any legislative deadline must be reintroduced in 2027. The Legislature is working on a number of bills of concern to California agricultural employers: H-2A Minimum Wage Bill, FLC Bonding Bill Pass Assembly Assembly Bill (AB) 2646 (Krell), imposing […]

This labor law applies to you, too. Most employers and Human Resources professionals know that employees have the legal right to make internal complaints about discrimination, harassment, compliance with wage-hour laws, workplace safety, and so on. Meaning that you can’t take any kind of “adverse action” against an employee because the employee engaged in these […]