California Department of Industrial Relations Allocates $34.9 Million for Worker Rights and Safety Outreach
The California Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) has committed nearly $35 million to expand its California Workplace Outreach Project (CWOP). This initiative aims to enhance localized education efforts for vulnerable and high-risk workers across the state. The funding, totaling $34.9 million, will support partnerships with community-based organizations that act as intermediaries. These organizations educate workers on critical issues such as job safety hazards, heat illness prevention, wage theft, and overall workplace rights. The program, initially launched in 2021 as a pandemic response, has grown from 61 to over 100 grantee organizations. It has already reached more than 2 million workers and employers with educational materials translated into 42 languages, including 11 Indigenous languages. The new funding specifically targets under-resourced regions like the Central Coast, San Joaquin Valley, and Imperial County, providing resources for direct outreach, community training, and multilingual saf... 
