EDD Farmworker Outreach Representative Helps Local Workers Impacted by Disastrous Winter Storms

The disastrous floods in early 2023 were devastating to many farmworkers in the counties of Monterey and Santa Cruz. Historic levels of rainfall throughout the beginning of the year caused flooding in both counties, negatively impacting local and largely agricultural employers and workers alike.

“Their livelihoods were threatened by the devastating impact of the floods,” says Jose Miramontes, an Employment Development Department (EDD) Agriculture Business Representative.

Working out of EDD’s Salinas office, Miramontes recognized the farmworkers’ urgent need for assistance, and played a role in coordinating an effort to help those affected by the winter storms.

“One of the primary avenues of aid came through the facilitation of access to EDD services, including Unemployment Insurance (UI), State Disability Insurance (SDI), and Paid Family Leave (PFL),” said Miramontes. “These services were pivotal in offering financial relief and stability to farmworkers during a period when their employment opportunities were severely disrupted by the natural disaster.”

As many of the area’s farmworkers are either non-English speaking or have a limited mastery of the language, EDD Workforce Services staff was present to assist the farmworkers as they applied for benefits.

“I remember a case where I had a gentleman who stopped by our Disaster Recovery Center to apply for unemployment benefits for the first time,” recalled Miramontes. “The gentleman was a farmworker who typically was employed 365 days and we explained to him in detail about the process for Unemployment Insurance.”

Miramontes says the initiative shown by the EDD and its partners in his local area helped the support process go smoothly, and together, they ensured that the local farmworkers were fully informed about their rights and of the assistance available to them. In addition to the various forms of direct assistance provided through the EDD, a significant effort was made to connect affected farmworkers with community-based organizations for additional support.

“These organizations played a vital role in offering additional support and resources, ranging from emergency housing and food assistance to counseling services,” said Miramontes.

Thanks to the collective efforts of the EDD and its community partners, vital assistance was effectively delivered to individuals who were adversely affected by the floods, demonstrating the Department’s strong commitment to helping communities in need throughout California – especially during times of disaster.

“The collective efforts to assist the farmworkers during the floods exemplify the power of community resilience and the importance of accessible governmental support during times of crisis,” said Miramontes.

For more information about programs and services benefiting the California agricultural industry and its workers, visit the EDD website.