Wagner-Peyser Act

The EDD successfully serves the agricultural community through an outreach program designed to serve both MSFWs and agricultural employers. The outreach worker’s responsibility is to locate and contact MSFWs who are not being reached by the normal intake activities conducted by the Significant MSFW AJCC offices. Outreach workers search for MSFWs throughout the state, especially in rural areas where they live, work, and gather to present the services in a language readily understood by them. Outreach worker responsibilities include:

• Educating MSFWs of their rights with respect to terms and conditions of employment.
• Developing and maintaining relationships with MSFWs, public and private community agencies, MSFW groups, and employers.
• Coordinating outreach efforts with MSFW community service providers, including WIOA Title I Section 167 providers.
• Assisting MSFWs with job search and placement, initiating job development contacts, and referrals to supportive services.
• Conducting informational workshops for MSFWs at Significant MSFW AJCC offices or other locations.
• Assisting with the completion of the CalJOBS^SM registration, resume, job applications, and other documents as needed.
• Documenting all reportable services provided to MSFWs.
• Conducting follow–up interviews with reportable individuals to ensure service or training was received.
• Assisting MSFWs with making appointments and arranging transportation.
• Observing the working and living conditions of MSFWs.
• Providing assistance with obtaining UI benefits, information on the California Training Benefits program, and referrals to specific employment opportunities if MSFWs are unemployed.
• Providing information regarding employment opportunities that may be available including any available H–2A agricultural job orders.
• Informing MSFWs of the full range of available services, including: job training opportunities available through the Significant MSFW AJCC offices and CBOs.
• Engaging in public awareness campaigns to educate job seekers and small businesses about Covered California™ as a resource to help make informed decisions about health care coverage options. The outreach workers may provide MSFWs helpful fact sheets regarding the program, financial assistance, and hand out informational brochures in English and Spanish.
• Contacting MSFWs working under the H–2A program to provide them information pertinent to workers employed under this program, including information about their rights and protections under the H–2A contractual agreement.

Informing MSFWs about the Employment System (ES) Complaint System and providing assistance with the complaint process.
 
In addition, staff from WIOA Title I Section 167 providers, such as the NFJP grantees, co-located or near Significant MSFW AJCC offices, collaborate to provide MSFWs with a comprehensive list of services designed to place them into full–time, non–seasonal employment or provide placement assistance in agricultural occupations offering higher wages. The Significant MSFW AJCC offices actively participate in recruitment activities to identify and refer qualified U.S. workers to employers for H–2A job openings.
 
Outreach workers are trained in local office procedures, ES Complaint System, and in the services, benefits, and protections afforded to MSFWs. In addition, outreach activities are conducted on a year–round basis by outreach workers who are fluent in Spanish and able to relate to the needs of MSFWs and promote community resources.
 
Agricultural employers and MSFWs receive additional services from five Agricultural Business Representatives (ABR). The ABRs complete housing inspections for agricultural employers that use the H-2A Program to ensure employers are providing adequate housing to MSFWs. The ABRs also collect agricultural data and prepare crop activity reports of their respective agricultural areas, as well as conduct field checks of H-2A employers to ensure employers follow the terms and conditions of their work contract. They also assist with conducting prevailing wage and prevailing practice surveys and play an important role in the health and safety and protection of the H-2A workers.

Services to Agricultural Employers

The EDD recognizes the importance of the agricultural industry in California and devotes resources to meet the labor needs of agricultural employers and MSFWs. Agricultural services funding is provided by W–P and annual Foreign Labor Certification (FLC) funds granted to the state. Federal W–P funds are allocated to the state based on a formula. The DOL allocates $1.5 million in FLC funds to California to process Agricultural and Food Processing Clearance Orders ETA Form 790, conduct housing inspections, conduct prevailing wage and prevailing practice surveys, and collect agricultural crop and labor information.

California also provides labor exchange services to agricultural employers. These services target the specific needs of the agricultural employer by using the following services provided by CalJOBS℠:

• Generate CalJOBS℠ letters that enable staff to create and send letters to job seekers who are registered in CalJOBS℠ regarding job opportunities and targeted recruitment letters.
• Employer self–service options to update their company profiles, post and update recruitments, conduct résumé searches, and contact qualified job seekers.
• Perform recruitment activities to find and refer qualified MSFWs in order to fill the labor needs of agricultural employers.
• Conduct mass job referrals electronically through CalJOBS℠.
• Assist with résumé searches and ES office staff mediated services that encourage agricultural employers to publish their job openings using CalJOBS℠ to fill their job openings.
• Provide labor market information such as data on supply and demand, salaries, training requirements, new and emergent occupations, and industry growth.
• Provide Rapid Response services due to plant closures or mass layoffs. These services are offered to workers at the employer’s job site and include information on assistance that can be provided at the AJCC offices.