YOUR SOURCE FOR CAWG AND INDUSTRY NEWS. FOR CAWG MEMBERS ONLY. |
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COVID Leave Legislation Would Mean New Burdens for Employers |
Legislation introduced this week in the California Legislature would require retroactive paid leave for employees who report exposure to a COVID positive person, need an absence from work to provide family care related to COVID, need time off to receive vaccinations, experience side effects resulting from vaccinations, have COVID symptoms, or tested positive for COVID. The required employer provided COVID leave pay is to be calculated in the same manner, at the regular rate of pay for a workweek, that applies for paid sick leave. If the bill is enacted into law, the employer will be responsible for providing up to 80 hours of COVID leave per employee for January 1 through September 30 of this year.
California’s current labor force numbers 19 million workers. The COVID positivity rate for this past January fluctuated between a rate of 15% and 24% for the general population. Assuming the same positivity rate among California’s workers, at an average payroll expense of $30 per hour, and the employer's daily leave expense capped at $511, the cost of this legislation in a single month to employers would range between $2 billion and $17 billion.
CAWG and other farm and business groups oppose the imposition of an additional expense on the back of California employers. It's worth remembering, the federal government's Tax Credits for Paid Leave Under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 reimbursed employers for costs incurred under California’s prior leave law, which expired on September 30, 2021.
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The January jobs report showed the nation's labor force declined by more than 300,000 jobs, mostly due to a spike in COVID Omicron cases and a dip in leisure and hospitality industry jobs. The California legislature isn't immune to these trends, experiencing an historic increase in job openings.
The California Assembly normally has 80 elected assemblymembers. Currently, there are 5 vacant assembly seats, with Asm. Autumn Burke (D-Los Angeles) having stepped down just this week. While there are many stated reasons for lawmakers to leave office before their terms expire, Burke stated the COVID-19 pandemic "has affected the lives and consciousness of everyone and I am no exception . . . I feel it is of the utmost importance that I have the flexibility and ability to spend more time with my family.''
Several other assemblymembers and senators have announced they will not seek reelection this year and are leaving at the end of their terms this year. The result is an unprecedented shake-up in the legislature with special elections occurring to fill vacant seats and others choosing not to seek reelection in November.
With this historic change in the legislature, fundraising for CAWG’s Political Action Committee (CAWG PAC) takes on added importance in our ongoing effort to support lawmakers who recognize the importance of California winegrape growers and agriculture.
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USDA Economic Research Service Released Report on Costs of Retaliatory Tariffs on U.S. Agriculture |
In 2018, the United States imposed Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from major trading partners and separately Section 301 tariffs on a broad range of imports from China. In response to these actions, six trading partners—Canada, China, the European Union, India, Mexico, and Turkey—responded with retaliatory tariffs on a range of U.S. agricultural exports, including agricultural and food products. The agricultural products targeted for retaliation were valued at $30.4 billion in 2017. ERS estimates direct U.S. agricultural export losses due to retaliatory tariffs totaled more than $27 billion during 2018 through the end of 2019. Overall, specialty crops represented around 6% of losses ($837 million in annualized losses) across fruits, vegetables, and tree nuts.
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Preliminary California Crush Report Out Next Week |
The preliminary California Grape Crush Report for 2021 will be released next Thursday, February 3 at 12:00 'p.m. PST. The final Crush Report is scheduled for release on March 10. The report will be available on the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service website. At the 2022 Unified Wine & Grape Symposium's State of the Industry Session, Jeff Bitter, president of Allied Grape Growers, stated a winegrape crush in the range of 3.85 tons would maintain market equilibrium, but successive annual crush numbers above 4 million tons could upset the market's current supply-demand balance.
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Providing the very best California crop insurance services. |
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CAWG Regional Roadshow - SAVE THE DATES |
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CAWG is excited to hit the road and reconnect with growers and industry providers in a series of regional meetings throughout the state.
This is the perfect opportunity to network, all while catching up on CAWG’s priorities on behalf of the winegrape industry.
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· Meeting Dates and Locations · |
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March 2 | Sonoma County
LOCATION TBD
3:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Wine Social
March 15 | Paso Robles
JUSTIN Downtown Tasting Room
811 12th St, Paso Robles
3:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Wine Social
March 16 | Monterey County
Monterey Farm Bureau
1140 Abbott St, Suite C, Salinas
11:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Lunch Provided
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May 12 | Lake County
The Ripe Choice Farm
2550 Soda Bay Rd, Lake Port
3:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Wine Social
May 17 | Madera
The Vineyard Restaurant
605 S I St, Madera
3:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Wine Social
June 27 | Lodi
Woodbridge Golf & Country
800 East Woodbridge Rd, Woodbridge
4:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Wine Social
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Complimentary registration for all CAWG members. |
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CAWG PAC Mardi Gras Fundraiser |
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WHEN: Thurs, Feb 24 | 6:00pm - 8:00pm
WHERE: Toca Madera Winery | 36140 Ave 9, Madera
Join CAWG for a evening of wine tasting, live music and networking as we raise funds for the CAWG PAC.
2022 is shaping up to be quite the year in California politics. There will be more than 30 races in the Senate and Assembly to keep an eye on. These are races where a moderate or fiscally conservative candidate can potentially defeat an anti-business candidate.
Those moderate or fiscally conservative candidates need our help. CAWG PAC has been one of the most active agricultural PACs in California and we need to continue that effort. To do so, we need your help.
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WEBINAR: CAWG 401k Multiple Employer Plan |
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WHEN: Thurs, Feb 10 @ 10:00am
Join CAWG and Woodruff Sawyer on February 10th at 10am to learn more about the power of a Multiple Employer Plan and see if this may be a good fit for your operation and employees.
The CAWG 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan offers employers all the advantages and flexibility of a stand-along plan, but without the expenses and administrative burden associated with sponsoring a single employer plan.
We invite you to join this webinar to learn more about the plan and your options!
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CAWG Foundation Scholarships - Deadline March 4 |
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For more than 20 years, the CAWG Foundation has awarded thousands of dollars annually in college scholarships to students whose parent(s) or legal guardian(s) are employed by a California winegrape grower.
The four-year scholarships are $8,000 each for students attending a University of California or California State University campus. The two-year scholarships are $2,000 each for students attending a California community college. The Robert Miller Scholarship for Viticulture and Enology is awarded to a Central Coast student who is enrolled or will enroll at Allan Hancock College or Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.
The application deadline is March 4, 2022.
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FEBRUARY
24 / CAWG PAC Event - Madera
MARCH
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