LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Sen. Mike McGuire’s bill to renew a special state law allowing the young people of Lake County to earn valuable work experience and job training during the summer months in pear packing plants was signed by Gov. Jerry Brown Wednesday.
“Given the economic importance of the famous Lake County pear crop and the longtime tradition of Lake County residents working the harvest, we have been honored to work with folks from throughout the County to advance this important legislation that provides valuable job training and we are grateful to Governor Brown for signing this bill,” Lake County’s Sen. Mike McGuire said. “The best pears in the world come from Lake and the renewal of this law is extremely important to the economic well-being of our region.”
The state law allows pear packing plants in rural Lake County to employ 16 and 17 year olds for up to 10 hours per day during the short peak harvest season – four to six weeks in the late summer months – when school is not in session.
The special exemption receives rigorous oversight from the State Labor Commissioner’s office and all work permits are overseen by the Lake County Office of Education.
SB 702, the Lake County Teen Employment and Training Act, simply extends the exemption for Lake County until January 2022 and maintains all the existing stringent requirements for employers to receive the exemption.
To ensure robust oversight, SB 702 requires an additional report from the labor commissioner to be submitted to the legislature.
All employers will still be subject to annual, robust audits to ensure compliance with state laws and to protect all Lake County workers.
SB 702 was co-authored by Lake County’s Assemblymember Bill Dodd. The bill was supported by the California Farm Bureau Federation, Lake County Farm Bureau, California Fresh Fruit Association, California Pear Growers, the Lake County Chapter of the CA Women for Agriculture, Brock Falkenberg, Lake Superintendent of Schools, the Lake County Board of Supervisors and Matt Cockerton, principal of Kelseyville High School.
Governor signs Sen. McGuire’s bill helping Lake County pear growers and packers
- Lake County News reports
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