• Significantly expedite the hiring process for NFFE’s bargaining unit employees, which will help VA implement the PACT Act and deliver toxic exposure-related care and benefits to millions of Veterans;  
• Allow NFFE’s bargaining unit employees to use an additional 160 hours of unpaid leave related to the birth of a child, adoption, or foster care;
• Allow the President of NFFE to delegate official time, which will help NFFE grow and develop future leaders and successors.

These new agreements are part of VA’s broader efforts to support bargaining unit employees and execute President Biden’s Executive Order on Worker Organizing and Empowerment. More than 9,000 of VA’s public servants are represented by NFFE, including VA nurses, medical officers, pharmacists, and social workers.

“These new agreements provide critical support for VA’s public servants – which, in turn, helps us better serve our nation’s Veterans, their families, caregivers, and survivors,” said VA Secretary Denis McDonough. “A unionized VA workforce is a strong VA workforce, and we at VA are proud to work with NFFE to continue delivering for Vets.”

More than 79% of all VA public servants are bargaining unit employees, and VA is committed to supporting them as they serve our nation’s Veterans, their families, caregivers, and survivors.

Over the past two years, VA has taken several key steps to support these employees, including 1) reestablishing the National Partnership Council, a forum for open communication between labor leaders and VA leadership; 2) restoring official time for Doctors, Nurses, Physician Assistants, and other Title 38 employees, meaning that these employees can use work hours to conduct union business and advocate on behalf of their coworkers; 3) reestablishing yearly and Semi-Annual Labor Management meetings with VA union partners; and 4) including the unions in the decision-making process for critical employee-centric decisions, such as the creation of the VHA REBOOT Task Force to address employee burnout.

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NEW YORK (AP) — Several SpaceX employees who were fired after circulating an open letter calling out CEO Elon Musk’s behavior have filed a complaint accusing the company of violating labor laws.

The complaint, made Wednesday to the National Labor Relations Board, details the aftermath of what allegedly happened inside SpaceX after employees circulated the letter in June, which, among other things, called on executives to condemn Musk’s public behavior on Twitter — including making light of allegations he sexually harassed a flight attendant — and hold everyone accountable for unacceptable conduct.

The letter was sent weeks after a media report surfaced that Musk paid $250,000 to the flight attendant to quash a potential sexual harassment lawsuit against him. The billionaire has denied the allegations.

Employees in their letter urged SpaceX to uniformly enforce its policy against unacceptable behavior and commit to a transparent process for responses to claims of misconduct. A day later, Paige Holland-Thielen and four other employees who participated in organizing the letter were fired, according to the filing, which was made by Holland-Thielen to a regional NLRB office in California. Four additional employees were fired weeks later for their involvement in the letter.

A company spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Musk, who is the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX and is currently running Twitter, prefers to do things his own way even if that means running afoul of rules and regulations. He’s currently in a defiant fight with Civil Rights department, a California regulator that is suing Tesla for rampant racial discrimination.

Some view Musk’s management style as autocratic and demanding, as evidenced by a recent email he sent to Twitter staff giving them until Thursday evening to decide whether they want to remain a part of the business. Musk wrote that employees “will need to be extremely hardcore” to build “a breakthrough Twitter 2.0″ and that long hours at high intensity will be needed for success.

A number of engineers also said on Twitter they were fired last week after saying something critical of Musk, either publicly on Twitter or on an internal messaging board for Twitter employees.

In a statement, Holland-Thielen said as a woman engineer at SpaceX, she experienced “deep cultural problems” and comforted colleagues who had experienced similar issues.

“It was clear that this culture was created from the top level,” she said.

Still, she said part of what she liked about the company was that any person could escalate issues to leadership and be taken seriously.

“We drafted the letter to communicate to the executive staff on their terms and show how their lack of action created tangible barriers to the long term success of the mission,” Holland-Thielen said. “We never imagined that SpaceX would fire us for trying to help the company succeed.”

The firings coincide with Musk’s $44 billion buyout of Twitter. Around the same time, the billionaire used a sexual term to make fun of Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates’ belly and also posted a poop emoji during an online discussion with then-Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal.

After terminating the first set of employees, SpaceX allegedly interrogated dozens of others over the next two months in private meetings, telling them they couldn’t disclose those conversations to anyone else due to attorney-client privilege, according to the complaint. Four additional employees who helped draft or share the letter were fired in July and August, the filing said, adding up to nine terminations in total.

“Management used this ‘ends justifies the means’ philosophy to turn a blind eye to the ongoing mistreatment, harassment, and abuse reported by my colleagues, much of which was directly encouraged and inspired by the words and actions of the CEO,” said Tom Moline, who was also fired from SpaceX after organizing the letter.

Jeffery Pfeffer, a professor who specializes in organizational behavior at Stanford University’s business school, said that the allegations were hardly a surprise given Musk’s leadership style at Twitter. Musk’s success at companies like Tesla and SpaceX have created what he labeled as hubris under the false notion that it was “all about individual genius.”

“Powerful people get to break the rules. They don’t think they are bound by the same conventions as other people,” Pfeffer said, criticizing Musk’s behavior. He said it showed the arrogance of Musk, one of the world’s richest men: “Why would he think he is a mere mortal?”

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Legislation is now working its way through the state legislature that would make the standard workweek 32 hours for companies with more than 500 workers. There would be no cut in pay, and those who work more would be compensated at a rate of no less than 1.5 times the employee’s regular rate of pay.

“It doesn’t make sense that we are still holding onto a work schedule that served the Industrial Revolution,”

Democratic Assembly member Cristina Garcia, one of the bill’s sponsors, said in a statement.

While the shift is long overdue, the Covid-19 pandemic and “Great Resignation,” also known as the “Great Reshuffle,” have made it clear the time to make the change is now, she said.

Nearly 48 million Americans walked away from their jobs last year, and the trend is still going strong. Almost 4.4 million workers quit in February alone, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

“There has been no correlation between working more hours and better productivity,” Garcia said.

However, the California Chamber of Commerce opposes the bill, calling it a “job killer” because it will end up imposing more costs on businesses.

“Labor costs are often one of the highest costs a business faces,” Ashley Hoffman, public policy advocate at the California Chamber Commerce wrote in a letter to Assembly member Evan Low, another Democratic sponsor of the bill.

“Such a large increase in labor costs will reduce businesses’ ability to hire or create new positions and will therefore limit job growth in California.”

Four-day workweek

Proponents of the four-day workweek say the same work can get done in the shorter timeframe. More companies are now testing it out as a way address employee well-being.

Earlier this month, dozens of companies across the U.S. and Canada began a six-month pilot of a four-day workweek, which is being led by 4 Day Week Global.

The idea is that employees work 80% of the time for 100% of the pay and maintain 100% productivity. It comes down to working more efficiently, including cutting back on unnecessary meetings.

“More and more companies are recognizing that the new frontier for competition is quality of life, and that reduced-hour, productivity-focused working is the vehicle to give them that competitive edge,” said Joe O’Connor, CEO of 4 Day Week Global.

Among those participating in the North American trial is crowdfunding platform Kickstarter. Its CEO, Aziz Hasan, told CNBC in July it is a way for the company to become more powerful as a group.

“It’s really about — if our time and attention is focused as best as it can be in those four days — can we have a more potent impact on the things that we care about from a professional standpoint, so that it opens up so much more range for us personally?” he said.

For those who shortened the workweek during the pandemic, there are no plans to turn back.

“There are so many parts of the workweek that are just a waste of time,” said Banks Benitez, CEO of Denver-based Uncharted, which switched to a four-day workweek in 2020.

“It has been a great forcing function for us to think differently.”

Michelle Fox | Contributed

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In 1986 when the Legislature allowed the wine industry to ship their product to consumers through direct mail there were roughly 700 wineries in the state generating about $5 billion in sales. Now California is approaching 4,000 wineries that generate $40 billion a year.

Everyone has benefited from this commonsense practice of direct-to-consumer shipping. It allowed small and family businesses to flourish, created jobs and generated revenue for delivery companies, distributors, retail stores and the state.

Unfortunately, the law is outdated and doesn’t allow the state’s growing distilled spirits makers to ship their products – gin, bourbon, whiskey, vodka – directly to consumers. Customers must visit a local craft distiller’s tasting room if they want to make a purchase.

The Legislature has a chance to modernize the state’s alcohol shipping laws with Senate Bill 620, introduced by Sen. Ben Allen, a Democrat from Redondo Beach. It will allow consumers to purchase from in-state and out-of-state distillers just like they currently do with wine.

This will be a lifeline for California’s 150 craft distillers who average between 5-10 employees. Online sales and delivery would open these local family businesses to more consumers so the industry can grow.

A recent poll found that more than 75% of California adults support updating the statute to allow equality in the alcohol shipping laws so they can order directly from distillers. This makes sense since consumers have become accustomed to home deliveries for just about everything. Consumers also have peace of mind knowing that the common carriers that deliver these alcohol products adhere to strict safety requirements like ID check and signature upon delivery.

What makes SB 620 so critical is that it will help small and family-run businesses in the state. California’s craft distillers are so small they can’t get their products through distributors and on store shelves. By selling their products online and growing their business, they can get big enough to eventually partner with wholesalers and be sold in retail stores.

Opponents of the bill are spreading misinformation, saying that a bottle of spirits sold online is one less that will be sold in a store which will hurt jobs. But this is false. California’s craft distillers can’t even get their products into a store because the amount of product they produce is so small and unique.

If SB 620 becomes law, most consumers will continue to make their alcohol purchases at the grocery store, major outlets or their neighborhood store. But what they’ll also be able to do is make an online purchase of distilled spirits for a special occasion, ship bottles back home after visiting a tasting room, or join a spirit’s mail club like a wine club.

SB 620 is a commonsense bill that an overwhelming majority of Californians support. This is a win-win moment for the state. We urge the California Legislature to approve this legislation which will create jobs, grow small business, generate revenue for the state and help grow California’s distilled spirits industry into the shining example that is California’s wine industry.

—

Cris Steller is executive director of California Artisanal Distillers Guild.

Cris Steller | Special for Calmatters

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An 18-member I-DEA task force, created April 1, 2021, developed 20 recommendations and 68 sub-recommendations for the department to consider during the next four years to ensure all VA employees, Veterans, their families, caregivers and survivors have equitable treatment and experiences when interacting with VA.

“This action plan reflects the Department of Veterans Affairs is working to ensure our customers and employees have equal access to all VA offerings and are treated with respect and dignity when interacting with the department,” said VA Secretary Denis McDonough. “We recognize this work requires a culture shift and will not happen overnight, but the Biden-Harris administration and I will see this through to completion on behalf of the Veterans we serve and the diverse workforce that carries out our mission.”

The 20 recommendations address potential gaps to include:

• Collecting and disaggregating race, ethnicity, gender identity and sexual orientation demographic information about VA employees and Veterans we serve.
• Developing a workforce plan to integrate I-DEA into hiring, position management, talent development and executive coaching to address potential areas of need.
• Revamping VA’s communications efforts to better reach underserved communities such as those who live in rural or remote areas, outlying communities or Veterans with limited English proficiency.

The I-DEA action plan also establishes an I-DEA sub-council tasked with facilitating policy development, adoption and implementation of the recommendations outlined in the plan and to ensure enterprise policy decisions are consistent with the secretary’s strategic goals.

The sub-council is chaired by Assistant Secretary for Human Resources and Administration/Operations Security and Preparedness Gina Grosso and Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Office of Resolution, Management, Diversity and Inclusion Harvey Johnson. 

President Joseph Biden issued Executive Order 13985, Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government, Jan. 20, 2021 and Executive Order 14035 on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in the Federal Workforce, June 25, 2021.

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NEW YORK (AP) — Employers are losing patience with unvaccinated workers.

For months, most employers relied on information campaigns, bonuses and other incentives to encourage their workforces to get the COVID-19 shot. Now, a growing number are imposing rules to make it more onerous for employees to refuse, from outright mandates to requiring the unvaccinated to undergo regular testing.

Among employers getting tougher are the federal government, the state governments of California and New York, tech giants Google and Facebook, the Walt Disney Co. and the NFL. Some hospitals, universities, restaurants, bars and other entertainment venues have also started requiring vaccines.

But the new measures are unlikely to affect many of the millions of unvaccinated Americans.

Many of the companies that are requiring shots have mostly office workers who are already largely vaccinated and are reluctant to work alongside those who aren’t.

In contrast, major companies that rely on low-income blue-collar workers — food manufacturers, warehouses, supermarkets and other store chains — are shying away from mandates for fear of driving away employees and worsening the labor shortages such businesses are facing.

Tyson Foods, for instance, said about half of its U.S. workforce — 56,000 employees — has received shots after the meat and poultry processor hosted more than 100 vaccination events since February. But the company said it has no plans to impose a mandate to reach the other half.

Walmart and Amazon, the country’s two largest private employers, have also declined to require its hourly workers to get vaccinated, continuing to rely on strategies such as bonuses and onsite access to shots. But in a potentially powerful signal, Walmart said employees at its headquarters will be required to get vaccinated by Oct. 4.

The biggest precedent so far has come from the federal government, the nation’s largest employer. President Joe Biden announced last week that all federal employees and contractors must get vaccinated or put up with weekly testing and lose privileges such as official travel.

The federal government has said it will cover the costs of the weekly tests. As for other employers, insurance may pay for such testing at some workplaces but not others.

Biden’s decision could embolden other employers by signaling they would be on solid legal ground to impose similar rules, said Brian Kropp, chief of research at consulting firm Gartner’s human resources practice.

But Kropp said some companies face complicated considerations that go beyond legalities, including deep resistance to vaccines in many states where they operate.

Retailers like Walmart might have a hard time justifying vaccine requirements for their workers while allowing shoppers to remain unvaccinated, Kropp added. Stores have mostly avoided vaccine requirements for customers for fear of alienating them and because of the difficulty in trying to verify their status.

In surveys by Gartner, fewer than 10% of employers have said they intend to require all employees to be vaccinated.

But a shift is building amid frustration over plateauing vaccination rates and alarm over the spread of the more contagious delta variant.

On Monday, the U.S. finally reached Biden’s goal of dispensing at least one shot to 70% of American adults — but a month late and amid a fierce surge that is driving hospital caseloads in some places to their highest levels since the outbreak began. The president had hoped to reach his target by the Fourth of July.

The Union Square Hospitality Group, a group of New York City restaurants and bars founded by Danny Meyer, is now requiring employees and customers to be vaccinated by Sept. 7.

The San Francisco Bar Owner Alliance, a group of about 300 bars, made a similar decision following a meeting where “the thing that stood out was anger and frustration” toward vaccine holdouts, said founder Ben Bleiman.

While some companies fear vaccine mandates will drive workers away, the pandemic itself is also causing absenteeism. Bleiman said he recently had to close his bar for a night after his bartender, who was fully vaccinated, tested positive and a replacement couldn’t be found.

Some employers are concluding that requiring vaccines is simpler than trying to come up with different rules on masks and social distancing for the small number of unvaccinated employees.

BlackRock, the global investment manager, is allowing only vaccinated workers into its U.S. offices for now and said people will be free to go maskless, as local health guidelines allow, and sit next to each other and congregate without restrictions. The firm said 85% of its U.S. employees are vaccinated or in the process of getting shots.

Matthew Putman, CEO of New York-based high-tech manufacturing hub Nanotronics, said he agonized over his decision to impose a vaccine mandate on his more than 100 employees. As it turned out, nearly all of them were already vaccinated, though he dreads the prospect of having to fire any holdouts.

“I hate the thought. But if it has to happen it has to happen,” Putman said. “I lost a ton of sleep over this but not as much sleep as I’ve lost over the fear of infection.”

Other mandates could provide a clearer test of the potential for employee backlash.

Hospitals and nursing home chains, for instance, are increasingly requiring the vaccine. So far, such mandates have survived legal challenges. More than 150 employees at a Houston hospital system who refused to get the COVID-19 shot were fired or resigned after a judge dismissed an employee lawsuit over the requirement.

Atria Senior Living, which operates more than 200 senior living communities across the country, was among the first to mandate vaccines for its staff in January.

It worked. Nearly 99% of Atria’s 10,000 employees are vaccinated, and only a tiny fraction quit over the requirement, said CEO and Chairman John Moore.

“Our residents deserve to live in a vaccinated environment. Our staff deserves to work in a vaccinated environment,” Moore said.

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VA is taking this necessary step to keep the Veterans it serves safe.

Each employee will have eight weeks to be fully vaccinated.

“We’re mandating vaccines for Title 38 employees because it’s the best way to keep Veterans safe, especially as the Delta variant spreads across the country,” McDonough said. “Whenever a Veteran or VA employee sets foot in a VA facility, they deserve to know that we have done everything in our power to protect them from COVID-19. With this mandate, we can once again make — and keep — that fundamental promise.”

The department’s decision is supported by numerous medical organizations including the American Hospital Association, America’s Essential Hospitals and a Multisociety group of the leading Infectious Disease Societies. The American Medical Association, American Nurses Association, American College of Physicians, American Academy of Pediatrics, Association of American Medical Colleges, and National Association for Home Care and Hospice also endorsed mandating COVID-19 vaccination for health care workers.

In recent weeks, VA has lost four employees to COVID-19 — all of whom were unvaccinated. At least three of those employees died because of the increasingly prevalent Delta variant. There has also been an outbreak among unvaccinated employees and trainees at a VA Law Enforcement Training Center, the third such outbreak during the pandemic.

All VA employees are eligible to be vaccinated at no personal expense at any of our facilities. Employees will also receive four hours of paid administrative leave after demonstrating they have been vaccinated. Information in these FAQs or clinician and Veteran videos has details about the vaccine, its safety and effectiveness.

The safety and wellbeing of our Veterans and personnel is paramount.

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He became a father at the age of 16 and felt an obligation to go to work. Finishing school was not an immediate priority for him and he figured he would eventually have an opportunity to return and get his diploma. That did not happen until he started working at Soboba a few months ago.

“This company put me first – and that’s never happened to me before,” Townsend, 51, said. After working in the healthcare field as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), among other service-industry jobs for the past 25 years, he said working at the casino has been more than he could have hoped for.

A few of his colleagues attended his drive-through graduation ceremony at the Hemet Adult School on July 17. The following day, a surprise congratulatory graduation party was held at SCR, prior to the start of his shift for that day.

Several members of SCR’s Marketing Department, led by Chief Marketing Officer Martin Moore, lined the hallway where Townsend entered for work that evening. The applause and well-wishes filled the air as he was given a symbolic cap and gown to wear during the party. He was presented with a medallion from his supervisor, Player Services Manager Priscilla Frank.

“She’s the best boss ever,” Townsend said. “Finding a place like this to work at has been a long time coming for me. It’s the first place where I feel like I’m coming to a home when I come to work.”

When Townsend applied for the position of Player Services Ambassador in March, he did not meet the education requirement of a high school diploma or equivalent, but he impressed staff with his honesty and extensive experience working with people. An offer was made to hire him with the condition he completed his education within one year of his hire date. He did it in three months.

Human Resources Director Gloria Baron said several team members have been hired under conditional employment, especially during the pandemic when it was difficult for some to complete all the requirements right away. At the party, she presented Townsend with a Soboba goodie bag that included a $100 Amazon gift card and a complimentary dinner for two to Canyons, the resort’s fine dining steakhouse.

Townsend, a Hemet resident for the past 10 years, works with fellow Ambassador Ryan Clauson, of Wildomar, who has been on the job for nine months. Formerly, Clauson worked in retail and said he wanted to try something new. He attended the party on his day off to show support for his friend. A third Ambassador has been hired and is starting soon.

“I love it here – it’s a really good place to work,” Clauson said. “Everyone is so friendly, and Priscilla is the best boss ever.”

The position has existed since the casino opened in the spring of 2019 and was created when a need emerged for someone who could assist guests that have questions about being a Players Club member. Working on the gaming floor, the ambassador’s job is to communicate with all guests and ensure all their questions are answered and needs are being met. When special events resume, they will help with contacting members to let them know if and when they are entitled to special discounts.

“We welcome all different personalities for this position; we just need someone who is personable, outgoing and not afraid to approach people,” Frank said. “When I interviewed Dayshawn, I felt his sincerity. He was very humble, and he was dressed to impress.”

Townsend has completed many certificate and licensing programs during his employment in several fields such as social services and working at an adult residential facility for developmentally disabled clients. He is also licensed to work as an armed security officer.

“I love being around people and I think Priscilla saw that in me,” he said. “I applied at Soboba because I wanted to be closer to home and I told my wife it would be nice to go to work, punch in, clock out and come home. I’m never told ‘you can’t leave’ like I was at some of my other jobs.”

With the nature of the jobs he held in the past, there was always the possibility he would need to work an extra shift to cover for someone who didn’t show or have to stay longer to complete paperwork or something else that began during his regular shift.

“Before I came here, no one could understand me as a person – I was just a body, muscle to do the job,” Townsend said. “I wanted to do something different. I wanted to work for someone that understands my needs and wants. When I give 110%, it’s nice to be noticed for doing it.”

He said, “One hand washes the other, but one hand rewards the other, too. I want to tell everyone to go to Soboba because they’ll make it possible for you to reach your goals, as long as you are willing to do your part. You have got to put in the work, but they give you the tools to do the job and succeed in your regular life, too.”

Townsend said he was “young and dumb” while growing up and even though his parents did the best they could, he did not want to follow the routine set for him and his two older sisters. He married young and had three daughters with his first wife. He worked hard to provide for his family but eventually the couple separated.

“Regardless of my struggles, it was important for me to learn how to be a better man,” he said. He met his second wife, Kimberly, and they recently celebrated six years of marriage. He said not finishing high school was always in the back of his mind and no employer was ever willing to work with him to get his diploma. Working 12-hour shifts as a CNA, the hours never lined up with his ability to attend night school.

“Soboba told me to sign up for school and that they would make my work schedule according to my school schedule,” Townsend said. “It turns out I didn’t need a schedule because of COVID; everything was being done online, and I didn’t have to wait. I started as soon as I applied for the job.”

He worked on a few credits in the morning and sometimes before going to bed for the night, working at this own pace, and he kept plugging away at each class until his teacher notified him that he only had one class to go. “I had the choice of getting my GED but I’m not a good test taker; it was better for me to learn something and then take a test on that before moving on and I wanted to get my diploma,” he said.

John Warkentien is Director of Player Development at SCR and he praised Townsend for his job performance from the day he was hired.

“You cast a really big shadow around here; you put out a good shadow for all our employees and guests,” he said at the celebration.

Guest Services Specialist Brenda Anderson has been with SCR for about five years and said she was proud of Townsend for stepping up to meet the contingency of his employment in such a timely manner.

“Soboba let me finish what I started,” he said. “For Priscilla to see that in me without even knowing me really touched me. I love being on the floor. They will get the best out of me because this is what I love to do.” His job responsibilities include meeting and greeting guests on the casino floor and explaining the benefits associated with the Rewards Club, offering them the opportunity to enroll or register for any promotions or drawings. Ambassadors are expected to always communicate positively and professionally with guests and co-workers. They are also expected to demonstrate a desire to succeed and a willingness to help others succeed. Townsend likes sharing with guests that the Rewards Club is exactly that – Soboba rewards their guests in appreciation of them spending their time at this casino when they have other options.

“I’m willing to share my story with others about what Soboba has done for me and what a great place it is to work,” Townsend said. “I’d love to talk at some of the high schools to reach the kids who are like I used to be so they know there is a place for them where they can make a career for themselves. Soboba is part of their community, and they should know what it can offer them. The community needs to know that Soboba cares, and I’m willing to be their voice – I am living proof.”

Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians • Contributed

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SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — San Francisco city workers will be required to be vaccinated against the coronavirus when a vaccine receives full federal approval.

The policy covering 35,000 municipal workers may be the first by any city or county in the U.S. Employees who refuse to get vaccinated and don’t get an exemption could be fired, according to the policy posted to the city government’s website Wednesday.

The three COVID-19 vaccines currently available in the U.S. are being dispensed under emergency authorization by the Food and Drug Administration.

They are expected to receive full approval in several months. San Francisco city employees will then have 10 weeks to get their shots.

San Francisco, a compact city of nearly 900,000 residents, has had some of the strictest pandemic-related restrictions in the country. The city was among the first in the nation to order a lockdown last year and its vaccination rates are some of the highest in the nation. At least 80% of residents are partially vaccinated and 70% of those 12 and older are fully vaccinated, according to Mayor London Breed.

The vaccination policy for city employees covers a wide range of jobs but it does not include teachers, who are school district employees.

“It’s really a decision for the health and safety of our employees and our public that we serve,” Carol Isen, San Francisco director of human resources, told the San Francisco Chronicle. “It’s about protecting the city as an employer from what we deem to be unacceptable risk.”

Starting Monday, employees will have 30 days to report to the city their current vaccination status, including showing proof of vaccination by uploading a photo of their vaccination card or the QR code generated by the state’s digital verification system, Isen said.

Isen did not return a message from The Associated Press seeking comment Thursday.

Under California law, employers can require their staff to get vaccinated as long as that requirement doesn’t interfere with the employees’ rights, said Leonard H. Sansanowicz, a Los Angeles employment attorney.

“You’ve got this inherent tension between an employee’s right to privacy, and right to freedom over their bodies, and the employers need for safety in the workplace,” Sansanowicz said.

The Department of Fair Employment and Housing issued guidelines in March that set forth the rationale for employers to mandate staff get vaccinated and that included requiring employers to accommodate those city workers who won’t get a vaccine due to religious beliefs or medical reasons, he said.

Los Angeles County, which employs about 110,000 people, is not currently considering mandating employees get a vaccine, said Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer.

“That doesn’t mean that there aren’t going to be some places where there may be a need earlier on to in fact think about increasing vaccination coverage,” she said.

Ferrer said some high-risk settings in the county, including hospitals and nursing homes, are already requiring their employees to be vaccinated.

In San Francisco, about 55% of city employees have said they are at least partially vaccinated, according to the Department of Human Resources. About 5% of employees have said they are not vaccinated. The vaccination status of the remaining 40% is not known.

SEIU 1021, the union that represents city employees, called on the city to have an “inclusive and collaborative approach” when enforcing the new policy.

“There are numerous cultural, religious, and health status factors that must be considered as we implement vaccination policies,” said SEIU 1021 San Francisco Regional Vice President Theresa Rutherford. “We can not force the front-line essential workers who have put themselves out there and risked their lives during the pandemic in a position to be worried about providing for their families or having their jobs or livelihood threatened.”

The city is the second-largest employer in San Francisco after the University of California, San Francisco. Earlier this month, the University of California reversed course said it will require all students, staff and faculty to be vaccinated against the coronavirus this fall.

UC has more than 280,000 students and 227,000 faculty and staff, and expects to return to mostly in-person instruction at its 10 campuses starting in August.

Dr. Grant Colfax, director of the San Francisco Department of Public Health, told the Chronicle protecting the workforce was especially important with the highly infectious delta variant gaining traction across the United States.

“Given that the delta variant is here and likely to increase in terms of its prevalence across the city, we need to do everything we can to protect our city workforce and the public we serve, especially as the city reopens,” Colfax said.

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“The Small Business Jobs Index remains relatively flat once again this month and is 4.43 percent below its pre-pandemic level from a year ago,” said James Diffley, chief regional economist at IHS Markit.

“The increase in hours worked and earnings is a positive indicator for small businesses, a segment that has struggled throughout the COVID-19 pandemic to maintain staff at their previous pay and hours. However, there is still support needed for these entrepreneurs and their employees,” said Martin Mucci, Paychex president and CEO. “Last week, the Biden Administration established new guidance so businesses with 20 employees or less can apply exclusively for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans for the next week. We look forward to helping many of these small businesses take advantage of this opportunity and quickly apply for this funding through our PPP loan estimator and forgiveness tools in Paychex Flex®.”

The monthly report, widely considered an industry benchmark, draws payroll data of approximately 350,000 Paychex clients to gauge small business wage and employment trends on a national, regional, state, metro, and industry basis.

In further detail, the February report showed:

• Fifteen of the 20 states analyzed have positive weekly hours worked growth in February.

• The South ranks first among regions in small business employment growth, but last in earnings and hours worked growth.

• The Northeast ranks last among regions in small business employment growth, but first in earnings and hours worked growth.

• Florida and Texas remain the top-ranked states for job growth, retaining a wide lead with index levels slightly below 97.

• Tampa’s jobs index surged 0.90 percent in February, making it the top-ranked metro for small business job growth.

• Manufacturing showed the most substantial job growth increase among industries in February, up 0.36 percent.

The complete results for February, including interactive charts detailing all data at a national, regional, state, metro, and industry level, are available at www.paychex.com/watch. Highlights are available below.

Note: Data presented for the month of January was collected between January 15, 2021 and February 18, 2021.

National Jobs Index

• The Small Business Jobs Index slowed 0.03 percent from last month to 93.97.

• Though the national index moderated just -0.03 percent, February’s results represent a new low.

• Small business employment growth is down 4.43 percent from a year ago.

National Wage Report

• Hourly earnings growth increased to 2.91 percent in February. One-month annualized growth spiked to 3.74 percent.

• Weekly hours worked growth continued to rise, starting the year with two consecutive months of positive growth.

• Weekly earnings growth rose to 3.26 percent in February. It’s the first time growth has surpassed three percent since September 2020.

Regional Jobs Index

• The South is again the top-ranked region and is more than one point higher (95.34) than the next highest-ranked region, the Midwest (94.20).

• The Northeast ranks last among regions at 93.11 and has seen the largest decline from a year ago, down 5.29 percent.

• The Midwest was the only region to increase in February, up 0.15 percent.

Regional Wage Report

• The South ranks first among regions in small business employment growth, but last in earnings and hours worked growth. The South is the only region with weekly earnings growth below two percent and negative weekly hours worked growth.

• The Northeast ranks last among regions in small business employment growth, but first in earnings and hours worked growth. The Northeast is the only region with hourly earnings growth above four percent and has the strongest weekly hours worked growth.

State Jobs Index

• Florida and Texas remain the top-ranked states, retaining a wide lead with index levels slightly below 97.

• Wisconsin fell 0.48 percent in February to 92.85, joining Virginia, New York, and Washington among the states with the lowest employment growth levels.

• Virginia has the weakest growth rates among states, down 0.52 percent from last month and 7.51 percent from last year. Note: Analysis is provided for the 20 largest states based on U.S. population.

State Wage Report

• Fifteen of the 20 states analyzed have positive weekly hours worked growth in February.

• Massachusetts overtook New Jersey as the top-ranked state for hourly earnings growth in February.

• Four states, Texas, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Illinois, have hourly earnings growth below two percent. Note: Analysis is provided for the 20 largest states based on U.S. population. Metropolitan Jobs Index

• Tampa’s index surged 0.90 percent in February, making it the top-ranked metro for small business job growth.

• Seattle, San Francisco, and Washington have the weakest index levels among metros, each below 92.

• Houston’s index spiked 1.15 percent in February. However, the increase will likely be offset due to the fallout of the recent winter storm.

Note: Analysis is provided for the 20 largest metro areas based on U.S. population.

Metropolitan Wage Report

• Riverside, CA leads metros in hourly and weekly earnings growth. One-month annualized growth is up double-digits for both measures, likely due to the state’s recent minimum wage increase.

• Texas metros Dallas and Houston rank last among metros in hourly earnings growth, both below 1.50 percent.

• Hourly earnings growth in Boston hit a new ten-year high in February at 4.86 percent.

Note: Analysis is provided for the 20 largest metro areas based on U.S. population.

Industry Jobs Index

• Construction remains a bright spot throughout the pandemic. February marks the industry’s tenth consecutive month as the top-ranked sector.

• Leisure and Hospitality avoided further declines in February but remained down more than eleven percent from last year.

• Manufacturing had its best one-month gain since last May and is up 0.36 percent.

Note: Analysis is provided for seven major industry sectors. Definitions of each industry sector can be found here. The Other Services (excluding Public Administration) industry category includes religious, civic, and social organizations, as well as personal services, including automotive and household repair, salons, drycleaners, and other businesses.

Industry Wage Report

• Construction is not only leading in job growth, it’s seeing stable hourly earnings growth as well, reaching 3.62 percent in February and averaging 3.62 percent during the past year.

• Weekly hours worked growth in Leisure and Hospitality bottomed out in December at -4.14 percent. It’s now recovered two percent during January and February to -2.14 percent. Note: Analysis is provided for seven major industry sectors. Definitions of each industry sector can be found here. The Other Services (excluding Public Administration) industry category includes religious, civic, and social organizations, as well as personal services, including automotive and household repair, salons, drycleaners, and other businesses.

*Information regarding the professions included in the industry data can be found at the Bureau of Labor Statistics website.

Paychex, Inc • Contributed

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