
CNN
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Two California state businesses are investigating whether or not there have been potential labor and office security and well being violations on the two Half Moon Bay, California, farms the place seven people were fatally shot final month.
The California Division of Occupational Security and Well being and the state’s Labor Commissioner’s Workplace “wish to be sure that workers are being afforded all of the protections of California labor legal guidelines,” a state official instructed CNN in an emailed assertion.
The assertion didn’t supply additional particulars concerning the probe, saying neither company feedback on ongoing investigations.
The suspect labored on one of many mushroom farms the place he’s suspected of fatally taking pictures 4 of his coworkers. The location, owned by California Terra Backyard, is a mushroom farm the place the suspected gunman labored and lived on for at the very least seven years, in line with officers and a spokesperson for that company. A California Terra Backyard spokesperson has stated there have been a number of cellular properties and trailers for workers on the property.
The suspect was additionally a former worker of one other close by farm the place he’s accused of killing three former colleagues, San Mateo County Sheriff Christina Corpus beforehand stated.
In a information convention the day after the bloodbath, California Gov. Gavin Newsom highlighted the dwelling situations the farm staff confronted.
“A few of you need to see the place these of us reside, the situations they’re in. Dwelling in delivery containers,” the governor stated. “People getting 9 bucks an hour … no healthcare, no help, no providers, however caring for our well being, offering a service to every one among us each single day.”
And in an announcement a number of days later, the governor’s workplace referred to as the employees’ dwelling situations “deplorable.”
“California is investigating the farms concerned within the Half Moon Bay taking pictures to make sure staff are handled pretty and with the compassion they deserve,” in line with a January 26 statement posted on Twitter by Daniel Villaseñor, the governor’s deputy press secretary.
On the time, a California Terra Backyard spokesperson responded to the accusations, saying the governor’s feedback didn’t mirror the dwelling situations of farm staff.
“The wage of all workers vary from $16.50 to $24,” the spokesperson stated, including that staff obtain “trip days, company-sponsored medical health insurance, life/incapacity insurance coverage, workman’s compensation insurance coverage, and entry to a 401(okay) plan.” CNN has reached out to California Terra Backyard for additional particulars on how its workers are paid and for touch upon the state businesses’ investigations.
The spokesperson stated final month that the eight households who lived on the property lived in “cellular properties and enormous leisure autos” outfitted with kitchens, loos, showers and “commonplace dwelling facilities.”
“Nobody lives in something like delivery containers or tents as was erroneously reported. The households pay roughly $300 a month to hire these dwelling areas, effectively beneath market fee,” the corporate spokesperson stated.