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- Written by: California Attorney General's Office
Many of these anticompetitive no-poach provisions required franchise operators to contractually agree to not hire or solicit the employees of another franchise operator.
As a consequence, employees, many of whom are low-wage workers, may be unable to seek better pay and benefits by going to work for a competing franchise. Workers are often unaware of these provisions in the contracts.
As a result of Tuesday’s settlements, Arby’s, Dunkin’, Five Guys and Little Caesars will no longer include no-poach provisions in any of their franchise agreements in the United States.
“Our economy thrives when everyone is doing well,” said Attorney General Becerra. “No-poach agreements attempt to prevent competition and limit economic opportunity for hard-working Californians. The agreements announced today are an important step forward to protect our workers and our economy.”
“No-poach” provisions are routinely included in franchise agreements for many fast food dining outlets. These provisions are also known as “no-solicitation,” “no-hire,” or “no-switching” agreements. Agreements that contain these provisions ultimately restrict a franchisee’s ability to recruit or hire employees from one franchise to another. They also diminish an employee’s ability to seek new work and earn higher wages.
Last year, Attorney General Becerra joined multiple states in a review of franchise no-poach policies that harm workers, and today’s action is a result of that initiative. Participating in the settlements are: California, Massachusetts, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and the District of Columbia.
These settlements build on Attorney General Becerra’s efforts to protect the rights of workers throughout the state of California.
In January, the California Department of Justice joined a multistate comment letter opposing a National Labor Relations Board proposal that would diminish protections for millions of workers.
Last year, Attorney General Becerra filed an amicus brief supporting the rights of truck drivers to receive reimbursement for certain expenses incurred in relation to their employment.
Attorney General Becerra also co-led a coalition of 17 Attorneys General opposing a Trump Administration rule to allow employers to pocket the tips of certain employees that threatened up to $5.8 billion of workers’ earned tips.
In November 2017, Attorney General Becerra filed a lawsuit against One Source, a janitorial subcontracting company based in Orange County, to protect janitorial workers in retail establishments across California from wage theft.
Copies of the agreements can be found here.
- Details
- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
The workshop will take place from noon to 3 p.m. at the Mendocino College Lake Center, 2565 Parallel Drive in Lakeport.
Instructor Anni Minuzzo is a specialty food expert with more than 30 years of experience in the food and beverage industry, 20 of which were spent owning a wholesale baking company.
She has a broad network of professional associations and a long lens and hands-on expertise in this exciting industry's trending culture.
Topics she’ll cover include licensing, fees and certifications, the planning and production process, capitalization options, current and future industry trends, creative marketing ideas and more.
The cost is $45 for general admission, $40 for Women In Business and chamber members, and $35 for West Center clients.
Seating is limited. Call 707-964-7571 or visit www.westcenter.org/live-workshops.
- Details
- Written by: California Department of Food and Agriculture
The goal of this program is to anticipate which exotic pests are likely to arrive in California and to identify and test IPM strategies that can be rapidly implemented if the pests become established in California.
CDFA is responsible for preventing and mitigating invasive pests in California. Techniques resulting from the Proactive IPM Solutions Program will allow for rapid deployment of future management plans.
Applications are due on March 25 by 5 p.m.
Detailed information on this program, including the application process and application requirements, is available at: https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/oefi/opca/proactive-ipm.html.
OPCA received an annual appropriation of $544,000 for this and other research as part of the 2018-2019 budget.
OPCA provides consultation to the California Department of Pesticide Regulation on pesticide regulatory matters.
The offices’ consultative activities focus on potential pesticide regulatory impacts and pest management alternatives that may mitigate or prevent such impacts on production agriculture.
OPCA staff is also involved in other projects relating to pesticide use and alternatives to high-impact pesticides.
Information on the Office of Pesticide Consultation and Analysis is available at https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/oefi/opca/.
- Details
- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
The competition is solely for oils made from olives which are grown, processed and bottled right here in California.
Despite an almost tragic 2018 growing season for many California olive oil growers, those producers fortunate enough to have a crop shone bright at the California State Fair Competition.
Head Judge Paul Vossen and his team of 12 Judges, swirled, sniffed and tasted 128 California olive oils. Two exceptional olive oil producers were honored with Best of Show Awards.
The year 2018 saw some outstanding olive oil from repeat Best of Show award winners Bondolio Olive Oil and Calivirgin Olive Oil.
The 2019 Best of Show Extra Virgin Olive Oil is the Estate Blend from Bondolio Olive Oil of Winters, California. The oil is a very unique blend in California of Biancolilla, Cerasuola and Nocellara olives.
The trees, which were specially imported from Sicily by the Bonds, produced an equally superior olive oil in 2017, when the oil also won a Best of Show Award at the California State Fair competition.
Judges describe the oil as having, “a great aroma. Well balanced and well made.”
Calivirgin Olive Oil also scored their second Best of Show win at the California State Fair competition, this time for their Hot Virgin Jalapeño Flavored Oil. In 2017 Calivirgin won Best of Show for their Lusty Lemon flavored olive oil. The multi-generational, family-run Coldani Ranch produces and bottles a mouth-watering variety of flavored olive oils under the name Calivirgin, and also produces a line of single-varietal extra virgin olive oils, labeled Lodi Olive Oil. Calivirgin also won a 2019 Best of Class Award for their Guilty Garlic flavored olive oil.
“The State Fair assembled an exceptional group of very experienced judges, some with over 20 years of involvement in the industry. Four new apprentice judges also participated as potential future judges. The high-quality oils shone through, even though the total number of entries was down. Californians can be very proud of the great olive oils being produced in this state,” says Paul Vossen, Olive Oil Industry Expert and Head Judge of the 2019 California State Fair Extra Virgin Olive Oil Competition
This competition honors Olive Oil producers of all production levels. The Best California Extra Virgin Olive Oil by a Microproducer Award (less than 500 gallons annually) was awarded to Halter Ranch for their Estate Mediterranean Blend. The Best California Extra Virgin Olive Oil by an Artisan Producer Award (between 500 and 5,000 gallons produced annually) was awarded to Tres Osos for their Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil. The Best California Extra Virgin Olive Oil by a Large Producer Award (more than 5,000 gallons produced annually) went to Cobram Estate, Everyday Robust Olive Oil.
Complete results and competition information can be found on the California State Fair’s website at www.CaStateFair.org.
The California State Fair and State Agricultural leaders will present the top olive oil winners with an iconic Golden Bear Trophy at a media event on the steps of the State Capitol on June 27.
Also presented with awards will be Best of Show-winning commercial wine, beer and cheese producers. The same evening winning producers will be on hand at the Best of California Tasting event at Cal Expo, held prior to the Friends of the California State Fair Gala. Producers will show off what their hard work and great skill has yielded for California’s agricultural and cultural leaders.
During the 2019 California State Fair, July 12 to 28, fair guests will enjoy an exhibit featuring award-winning extra virgin olive oils, olive oil education classes, free tastings and the opportunity to purchase olive oil directly from the producer.