GROWING FORWARD: Navigating Workforce Challenges Insights on Migrant Labor and Immigration Compliance Understanding how to secure a stable workforce while remaining compliant with federal laws has never been more critical. As immigration policies continue to evolve and enforcement intensifies, agricultural employers are facing urgent questions about labor security, compliance, and the risk of workforce shortages. Many employers are wondering: What visa options are available to legally hire and retain workers? How can I avoid costly compliance mistakes and DHS audits? What are my rights during an ICE site visit? How do I ensure my employment verification processes are secure? Join us for a comprehensive session on how to secure your labor force and best to remain compliant with federal immigration laws in the Trump era. We will discuss nonimmigrant as well as immigrant visa options for your employees as well as how to best avoid a DHS audit of your HR files. Session Panel: Ally B

Session 1: Navigating Workforce Challenges: Insights on Migrant Labor and Immigration Compliance Broadcast Date: March 12th, 2024 – 10:00 am (PT) The Trump administration’s stringent immigration policies pose a significant challenge for agricultural employers. Initiatives aimed at mass deportations of undocumented immigrants can lead to labor shortages in sectors like agriculture that are heavily reliant on immigrant labor. In California, heightened immigration enforcement has already caused a substantial decrease in field workers reporting for duty, with reports indicating that up to 75% of workers did not show up following intensified raids. These policies may exacerbate existing labor shortages and threaten the timely harvesting of crops and disrupt farming operations. Join us for a comprehensive session on how to secure your labor force and best to remain compliant with federal immigration laws in the Trump era. We will discuss nonimmigrant as well as immigrant visa op

Session 2: New Regulations Impacting the Wine Industry Date & Time: Wednesday, April 10th – 10:00 AM (PT)  Seemingly, each year brings new laws and regulations that impact the wine industry and present a maze of compliance issues. This session will feature four experts addressing four areas where new regulations impact vineyards and wineries. FTC Enforcement and Trade Practice Compliance: As part of the current administration’s initiative to increase competition and assist small and medium-sized businesses in the alcohol beverage market, there’s been a renewed focus on federal trade practices that govern how industry members interact. In addition, the Federal Trade Commission has launched an antitrust investigation focused on one of the nation’s largest alcohol beverage distributors. Given these developments, industry members should brush up on the world of trade practice restrictions in order to avoid any potential pitfalls.  Bottle Bill:

After over a year in a global pandemic, it may not surprise you to know that a majority of American workers say they are doing some percentage of their work remotely. And while many may have expected that to change after the mandates are removed, research shows that they may not.   However, even though many workers are embracing this shift, many industries have their doubts. As you can imagine, working remotely has proven to be challenging for industries that require workers to operate equipment or accomplish tasks onsite (e.g., dining, retail, manufacturing, and the beverage alcohol industry). The wine industry isn’t any different. In fact, the industry has had to adjust to significant sales channel shifts to stay competitive. Wineries with strong direct-to-consumer followings or strong off-premise distribution persevered or even prospered during the pandemic, according to the 2020 State of the Industry report by Silicon Valley Bank. Despite this negativ

These past 12 months have been like no other. With vaccination rates increasing by the day and declining COVID-19 numbers (that we hope will continue) we look ahead to a brighter, more stable, stronger economic future for our businesses. Here, we summarize a brand new law for California employers as well as share trends in performance management in 2021. Topics covered in this newsletter: Senate Bill 95 | Trends in Performance Management and Reviews | Senate Bill 95 - California COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave On March 19, 2021, SB 95 was signed into law by Governor Newsom. This new California law provides supplemental paid sick leave (SPSL) to employees for defined COVID-19-related reasons. Below are the highlights of SB 95. SB 95 is effective March 29, is retroactive to January 1, and expires on September 30, 2021. The law applies to employers with 26 or more employees. The law provides up to 80 hours of SPSL to full-time employees (pro-rated to the average amount of hours a p