Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer believes working families are the backbone of our County, and since joining the San Diego County Board of Supervisors in 2021 she has fought for workers rights, better working conditions, and fair wages. She's also introduced and passed policies that empower workers and allow families to thrive. 

Whether it's in our restaurants, farms, schools, construction sites, offices, hospitals, or any other jobsite, workers sustain our community and create a place we're all proud to call home. That's why we owe it to San Diego's workers to ensure everyone has access to a good job and a workplace that respects their rights, treats them fairly, and pays what's owed. 

The Office of Labor Standards & Enforcement (OLSE) is a core part of Supervisor Lawson-Remer's efforts to protect and empower San Diego's workers. OLSE has already made big strides toward creating a culture of labor compliance within the county and putting workers' hard-earned money back in their pockets where it belongs. OLSE has already trained 3,200 workers and employers on California labor law; embedded anti-wage theft safeguards within the County's procurement process to protect employees of county contractors, and trained over 450 County employees on these policies; offered outreach and educational services to over 2,000 workers and fielded 1,500 calls seeking information and legal assistance. OLSE has also returned over $100,000 to workers through the County's new Workplace Justice Fund, the first program in the nation to help workers who have won a legal judgement against their employer recover lost wages, and our expanded Wage Theft Enforcement program, which prosecutes employers who engage in unlawful labor law practices and helps workers whose wages are unfairly withheld. OLSE's Good Faith Restaurant Owners Program also helps workers in the retail food industry collect outstanding unpaid wage theft judgments stemming from the California Labor Commissioner's orders and decisions, by suspending a restaurant's Food Facilities Permit until any owed wages are paid out. 

Supervisor Lawson-Remer was instrumental in passing a Contracting Standards Policy to hold County contractors accountable for treating workers fairly, by establishing wage protections and requiring sick leave, training programs, and worker retention programs. This policy was enacted to protect the rights of janitorial, security and landscaping workers, and was immediately used to support janitors who unfairly lost their jobs, by returning them to employment under improved working conditions. 

Supervisor Lawson-Remer also authored the County's Working Families Ordinance, which requires contractors working on County construction projects, and projects on County land, to pay prevailing wages, use skilled and trained workers - including apprentices - and to provide paid sick leave. 

To further align with the County policies for inclusive hiring practices, Supervisor Lawson-Remer also developed and passed a policy to hire more neurodiverse people into the County workforce. 

Considered the strongest contract in SEIU Local 221's history, workers earned significant pay raises for multiple years, financial increases to support rising healthcare costs, and allowances for uniforms and other important worker benefits. UDW Local 3930 also earned a landmark contract for their In-Home Supportive Services caregivers, including multiple wage increases, life insurance benefits, personal protective equipment, and transportation for home care workers. 

Progress to empower workers has been made in Supervisor Lawson-Remer's first four years, but more work is necessary.