Dear John,

The farmworker overtime bill (HB 4002) recently passed out of the House Business and Labor Committee and is on to the House Committee on Revenue. After that, it’ll go to a House vote, and it needs your voice to help it pass. Send your state senator and representative an email and ask them to vote yes on HB 4002 when it goes to a vote. If people don’t advocate for it now, this bill is at risk of not passing. Please speak up for farmworker rights! 

Due to a racist law originally meant to exclude former slaves, farmworkers have been excluded from overtime pay since 1938. It’s time to right this historic wrong. Please ask your state senator and representative to vote yes on HB 4002! 

Farmworkers are some of our most essential workers, and deserve to be paid for every hour of work. They’re expected to go out in dangerous conditions, from heat waves to wildfire smoke, in order to grow our food. Farmworkers make on average less than $28,900 a year. 

In his testimony in support of HB 4002, farmworker Delfino Santiago wrote: “Although for employers, they may not think that paying overtime after 40 hours makes a difference in our lives. But in truth, it will make a big difference. It is a big concern in life to have that income because we live paycheck to paycheck, usually there is not enough money left over after paying basic expenses. Especially in these days of rising prices on everything, every dollar can make a difference in my life.”

Please ask your state senator and representative to vote yes on HB 4002! 

Thank you,

Julia DeGraw
Coalition Director, OLCV