FA R M L A B O R I N F O R M AT I O N B U L L E T I N
Voice of the Fields California
November 2017
FREE
Volume 27, Number 11
The Road to Recovery
T
HE 2017 CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES have been disastrous for vast areas within the State; the fires damaged and affected landscapes, infrastructures, businesses, agriculture, the environment, natural resources, and its residents. It will take months or even years to recover completely from the devastating fires, destroying more than 8,900 structures with a death toll of 42 people. It is important for Californians’ to start the recovery process by taking all the necessary steps to seek relief assistance. If you or your family were affected by the California wildfires in the counties of Butte, Lake, Mendocino, Napa, Nevada, Orange, Sonoma, and Yuba, here are some steps you can take to start the claims process.
1
Start the claims process as soon as possible
Be prepared to give your insurance agent or insurance company representative a description of the damage to your property. Also, provide your agent with a copy of your home inventory if you have one. Your agent will report the loss immediately to your insurance company or to a qualified adjuster who will contact you as soon as possible in order to arrange an inspection of the damage. Make sure you give your agent a telephone number, preferably a cell phone number, where you can be reached.
2
Contact your insurance agent or insurance company immediately When starting the settlement process, find out: n Whether the damage is covered under the terms of your policy n The timeframe you have to file a claim n How long it will take to process the claim n Whether you’ll need to get estimates for repairs
3
Learn what is covered
Your policy’s “declarations page” shows how your policy is divided into coverage categories: Dwelling (“Coverage A”), Other Structures (“Coverage B”), Personal Property (“Coverage C”), Loss of Use/Additional Living Expenses (“Coverage D”), as well as other categories such as liability and medical payments. You may also have additional “endorsements” or extra coverage listed on your declarations page. Policies are not all the same, and your insurer can answer your specific questions about your type of policy and amount of coverage you have. Continued on page 6
California Wildfire Resources for Immigrants
A
FTER THE DEVASTATING California fires it is good to know that immigrants are not alone and have resources they can access. Counties that have been affected and are able to receive benefits for their residents are Butte, Lake, Mendocino, Napa, Nevada, Orange, Sonoma, and Yuba counties. Many wildfire recovery resources are accessible for immigrants and their families. Immigrants eligible to receive recovery benefits may fall into any of the the following categories: Green card holders; people granted asylum and refugees; individuals who have been granted humanitarian parole for a period of one year; individual whose deportation has been withheld due to status as a political refugee; Cuban or Haitian entrants; or victims of domestic violence, who currently have a pending petition for relief. Regardless of you immigration status, you do not have to fear that the agencies providing resources will report immigration status to Immigration services. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) have stated that they are not conducting immigration enforcement at disaster relief sites such as shelters or food banks. The Federal Government strongly encourages all persons to follow the guidance of local officials and seek help and shelter regardless of their immigration status. For more information on how to file a complaint-Ensuring Equitable Service to Migrant and Seasonal Farm Workers. Contact the EDD Monitor Advocate Office by calling toll free at 1-866-2898356. And/or your nearestAmerica’s Job
Center of California. To find your nearest center, visit the job center locator, or call the America’s Service Locator toll free at 1-877-872-5627 (TTY1-877-889-5627).
SHELTERS & HOUSING ASSISTANCE Emergency Shelters
For emergency shelter information you can go to the California Office of Emergency Services’ website wildfirerecovery.org/evacuation- centershelterinformation/.
Transitional Shelter Assistance
The Transitional Shelter Assistance (TSA) Program provides short-term lodging assistance for evacuees who are not able to return home for an extended or indeterminate period of time following a disaster. For more information on the TSA program you can go to
2
the FEMA website at www.fema.gov/ transitional-shelter-assistance.
Individual and Households Programs
The Individuals and Households Program (IHP) is a joint Federal and State program. Anyone who suffers damage can register for assistance by calling the FEMA registration line, 1-800-6213362. For the deaf or hard of hearing, the number is 1-800-462-7585. For general information or to make changes to an existing application, the FEMA disaster information Helpline number is 1-800-621-3362 or TTY 1-800-462-7585.
State Supplemental Grant Program
California’s State Supplemental Grant Program (SSGP), administered by California’s Department of Social Services, Disaster Services Bureau, may provide grant funds to assist people who have suffered damage in declared disaster areas. If you have questions about the State Supplemental Grant Program, you may contact SSGP at 1-800-759-6807, or for the deaf or hard of hearing, the TTY number is 1-800-952-8349.
FOOD AND OTHER BASICS Disaster CalFresh
[All Individuals and Families May Apply] Disaster CalFresh can help meet the temporary nutritional needs of disaster victims of modest incomes, regardless of
immigration status, following a natural disaster such as a flood, fire, or earthquake. For more information on Disaster CalFresh, visit the website at: www.cdss. ca.gov/inforesources/CalFresh/Disaster-CalFresh or call 1-877-847-3663.
Local Food Banks
Food Banks throughout California can provide relief to families affected by the wildfires by providing them with emergency food assistance at no cost, regardless of immigration status. Locate a food bank in your area by going to www.cdss.ca.gov/Food-Banks or call 1-877-847-3663.
HEALTH, PUBLIC HEALTH, AND COUNSELING Crisis Counseling
Disaster Distress Helpline provides 24/7, 365-day-a-year crisis counseling and support to people experiencing emotional distress related to natural or humancaused disasters. Call 1-800-985-5990 or text TalkWithUs to 66746 to connect with a trained crisis counselor.
Services For Seniors
The California Department of Aging provides coordination through different agencies’ wide array of services to seniors and adults with disabilities. You can locate an Area Agencies on Aging (AAA) by calling 1-800-5102020 or visit the website at: www. aging.ca.gov/ProgramsProviders/ AAA/AAA_listing.asp
REPLACING DOCUMENTS & INSURANCE Department of Motor Vehicles
The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) can respond to questions and provide the forms needed to
assist individuals in replacing DMV documents, such as driver licenses, identification cards, vehicle registration certificates and certificates of title, that may have been lost as a result of the disaster. You can visit the DMV website at: www.dmv.ca.gov/. If you need an interpreter, please let DMV staff know and an appointment will be scheduled for when a foreign language interpreter is available. Appointments may also be scheduled during regular business hours by calling 1-800-777-0133 and indicating foreign language assistance is needed. For the California Relay Telephone Service from TTY phones, call 1-800-735-2929.
Birth, Death, Marriage & Other Vital Records
The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) is working with those who have lost vital records as a result of the disaster. Birth, death, and marriage records should be requested from the county recorder’s office in the county where the event occurred visit www. cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CHSI/Pages/ Obtaining-Vital-Records-From-County-Offices.aspx for a list of county recorders or you may call 1-800-735-2929 or visit: www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/ CHSI/Pages/Vital-Records.aspx
Insurance & Rebuilding Information
The California Department of Insurance provides assistance on insurance issues, such as claim handling delays, additional living expenses, underinsurance disputes, etc. If you are experiencing difficulty with the processing of your claim contact the officers at the Department’s Consumer Hotline at 1-800-927-HELP
3
(4357); TTY 1-800-482-4833 for assistance. For additional information you may also wish to visit the Department’s website at: www.insurance.ca.gov.
Contractors State License Board
The Contractors State License Board (CSLB) verifies contractor licenses, investigates complaints, and provides helpful information about hiring a licensed contractor. For information on hiring or filing a complaint regarding a contractor, disaster victims may call CSLB’s Disaster Hotline M-F from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. at 1-800-962-1125, or the 24-hour automated telephone response system, 1-800-321-CSLB (2752). Licenses can also be checked online at: www2.cslb.ca.gov/OnlineServices/ CheckLicenseII/CheckLicense.aspx. You can also view a video, “Rebuilding After a Natural Disaster” on the CSLB website at: www.cslb.ca.gov/Media_ Room/Disaster_Help_Center/
Housing & Community Development
The California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) can assist with manufactured housing questions including repairs, installations and/or registration and titling. For information concerning Registration and Titling call 1-800-952-8356; TTY 1-800-735-2929 or visit the website at: www.hcd.ca.gov/manufactured-mobilehome/registration-titling/ index.shtml.
EMPLOYMENT & WORKFORCE SERVICES Disaster Unemployment Assistance
The California Employment Develop-
Continued on page 6
Are You Planning on Traveling to Mexico?
H
ERE IS WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW if you plan on traveling to Mexico anytime soon. U.S. citizens have been the victims of violent crimes, including homicide, kidnapping, carjacking, and robbery in various Mexican states. As a result, on August 22, 2017, the U.S. Department of State issued an updated travel warning on Mexico, advising caution in several popular beach destinations, including Cancún, the Riviera Maya, and Los Cabos due to the criminal organizations in those areas. If you would like to find out more information on your destination, you can visit U.S. Department of State –Bureau of Consular Affairs website at www.travel. state.gov or contact your local Mexican Consulate General Office. The website
will provide you with a state-by-state assessment for specific regions in Mexico. For further information: n See the State Department’s travel website at www.travel.state.gov for the Worldwide Caution, Travel
California Government Affordable Health Care Insurance - Affordable Care Act (ACA)
O
pen enrollment for the 2018 California governmental affordable health care insurance, under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), is currently open to new and renewing individuals or families. This ends January 31, 2018. However if you need coverage starting at the beginning of the year you must enroll by December 15, 2017 to have coverage effective January 1, 2018. Most individuals who are U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals or lawfully present immigrants are required to have health coverage. There is a tax penalty — known as the “shared responsibility payment” — for those who do not have health coverage and do not qualify for an exemption. Shop early, the whole process can take longer than anticipated. To save money, shop and compare different plans on the www.coveredca.com exchange website. Lawfully present individuals in the United States generally include: n U.S. citizens and U.S. nationals. n Lawful permanent residents or (“green card holders”). n Lawful temporary residents. n Persons fleeing persecution, including refugees and asylees. n Other humanitarian immigrants, including those granted temporary protected status. n Non-immigrant Status holders (including worker visas and student visas). Non-immigrant Status holders include worker visas such as H-2A and H-2B. To get more information for government affordable health care insurance for California under the ACA visit: www.coveredca.com or contact the Service Center at (800) 300-1506 Monday – Friday: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
4
Warnings, Travel Alerts, and country specific information for Mexico. n Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive security messages and make it easier to locate you in an emergency. n Contact the U.S. Embassy in Mexico, located at Paseo de la Reforma 305, Colonia Cuauhtemoc, at +52-55-5080- 2000 x4440, (5080-2000 for calls in Mexico City, 01-55-5080-2000 for long distance calls in Mexico) 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Afterhours emergency number for U.S. citizens is +52-55-5080-2000. n Call 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States and Canada or 1-202501-4444 from other countries from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday.
Travel Documents for Mexico The necessary travel documents you need for entering and exiting Mexico are an important part to planning your trip. To ensure that you have all the relevant travel documents to visit Mexico be sure to check that your passport is valid for at least 1 year before expiring. You will also want to bring a driver’s license as a secondary form of identification. These documents must be presented whether you are flying, entering by sea, or a border check-point.
VISAs for Mexico Before you start packing your bags for Mexico, you should check whether you need a VISA and any other travel docu-
ments for entry into the country. VISAs and travel documents are one of the first items you should check off your list when planning and should be organized before you book your flights to Mexico.
Tourist VISA for Mexico If you are flying to Mexico, you will need to fill out a form for your tourist card during your flight or when you arrive at the airport in Mexico. An immigration officer will give you a tourist card on arrival with your date of entry and number of days allowed in Mexico. Be sure to keep hold of your tourist card, as you may be fined if you do not have it when you exit the country. If you plan on volunteering in Mexico, then you are able to do so with a tourist VISA provided you will only be in the country for the maximum 180 days permitted.
if business plans extend beyond 180 days then a business visit VISA must be obtained. If you need to bring professional equipment into the country, then things can get complicated, so you will need to check this with the U.S. State Department-Bureau of Consular Affairs on a case-by-case basis. You should always double check VISA requirements at the U.S. State Department website at www.state.gov before booking your travel to Mexico.
Business VISAs for Mexico Business visitors can also enter Mexico on the same tourist permit as above, but
Sources: travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/ country/mexico.html
EDD Resources www.edd.ca.gov Workforce Services General Questions/ AJCC Locator ................(916) 654-7799 CalJOBSSM ........................ 1-800-758-0398 Migrant and Seasonal Farmworker Related Complaints ... 1-866-289-8356 EDD Unemployment Insurance English: ...........................1-800-300-5616 Spanish: ..........................1-800-326-8937
Voice of the Fields California Circulation: 45,000 copies
www.LaCooperativa.org Published monthly by: La Cooperativa Campesina de California 1107 9th Street, Suite 420, Sacramento, CA 95814 Phone 916.388.2220 Fax 916.388.2425 This product was funded by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration. The opinions expressed in this product are exclusive of the authors and does not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Labor. This product is copyrighted by the institution that created it. Internal use by an organization and/or personal use by an individual for non-commercial purposes is permissible. All other uses require the prior authorization of the copyright owner. Content produced by ALZA Strategies, a fullservice strategy firm that offers quality media relations, crisis communications, public affairs services, and expertise into the growing Latino market.
Agricultural Jobs available to U.S. workers under H-2A contract
You may apply for these jobs by phone or in person at your nearest Employment Development Department (EDD) field office CalJOBS Number 15490247 15519854 15530682
Job Title
Pay Rate
FarmworkerCelery
$12.57/hr or Group Incentive Rate $12.57/hr.
FarmworkerOrange and Mandarin Farmworkers Lemon, Grape
Contract Dates 10/1/176/30/18
Positions
City of Job
Employer’s County
60
Oxnard, Santa Paula, Ventura, Fillmore, Camarillo, Piru
Ventura
10/15/175/25/18
120
$12.57/hr.
10/20/173/17/18
55
15530884
FarmworkerCitrus
$12.57/hr.
10/20/173/17/18
120
15580207
Farmworkers Vegetables Field Worker
$12.57/hr.
11/17/174/14/18 11/17/174/14/18
75
15580207
$12.57/hr.
75
McFarland, McKittrick, Tulare, Bakersfield, Fresno, Tulare, Kern Visalia, Selma, Porterville, Dinuba, Kingsburg, Exeter, Ducor, Delano Various sites Riverside, San Diego, Imperial McFarland, McKittrick, Tulare, Bakersfield, Fresno, Tulare, Kern Visalia, Selma, Porterville, Dinuba, Kingsburg, Exeter, Ducor, Delano Calpatria, Hwy 33, El Centro, Heber, Imperial Brawley, Holtville, Calexico, Imperial Calpatria, El Centro, Heber, Brawley, Imperial Hotville, Calexico, Imperial
America’s Job Centers of California (AJCC) Oxnard AJCC (805) 288-8400 Delano AJCC (661) 721-5823” Indio Workforce Dev. Center (760) 863-2500 Delano AJCC (661) 721-5823 El Centro (760) 863-2600 El Centro (760) 863-2600
The H-2A temporary agricultural program allows agricultural employers who anticipate a shortage of domestic workers to bring nonimmigrant foreign workers to the U.S. to perform agricultural labor or services of a temporary or seasonal nature. The H-2A employers must demonstrate that qualified U.S. workers are not available for the job and the employment of temporary foreign workers will not adversely affect the wages and working conditions of U.S. workers similarly employed. Preference in hiring will be given to qualified U.S. workers before employers are allowed to bring in foreign workers under the program.
5
Recovery Continued from page 1
HOMEOWNERS & RENTERS Damage to homes and rental properties caused by fire, smoke, and soot are covered under standard homeowners and renters insurance policies. Moreover, property damage caused by firefighters while extinguishing wildfires is also covered under these same policies. Standard homeowner and renters insurance policies also cover a policyholder’s Loss of Use (LOU)/Additional Living Expenses (ALE), when there is an insured disaster. Depending on your policy, this includes the expense of living away from home if there is a mandatory evacuation or if the insured property is damaged and uninhabitable. LOU typically covers hotel bills, restaurant meals and other additional expenses that come about when an insured property has been damaged so severely that you have to live elsewhere while it is being rebuilt. Most policies provide this coverage for up to 20 percent of the amount of insurance provided on the house. For example, if the house is insured for $400,000, then the LOU amount can be up to $80,000 (minus the deductible). Depending on your policy, this coverage may be available for up to 12 to 24 months, or even longer.
Landscaping/Debris Removal A typical homeowners policy will cover damage to trees, shrubs and plants up to 5% of your policy’s dwelling limit. The limit of insurance available per tree, shrub or plant is generally about $500. There is also coverage for debris removal. Depending on your policy, you either must use part of your dwelling benefits to cover this expense, or it may
be offered as extra coverage above that. This extra coverage differs by insurer and may be a percentage of your Coverage benefits, tied to the amount of the loss, or a fixed dollar amount.
BUSINESS OWNERS Property damage to businesses by wildfires is typically covered under a Business Owners Policy (BOP) or through a Commercial Multi-Peril (CMP). Business income insurance (also known as business interruption) is typically included in a BOP or CMP and provides coverage for: n Revenue lost due to the closure n Fixed expenses, such as rent and utility costs n Expenses of operating from a temporary location
VEHICLE OWNERS Vehicles damaged by fire, smoke, and soot are also covered under the optional comprehensive portion of an auto insurance policy. Nearly four out of five drivers (78 percent) in the U.S. opt to purchase the coverage, according to the most recent data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). Recovering from wildfires takes time, and that’s why it is so important to get the claims process underway. Rebuilding homes and communities after widespread loss can take at least 18-24 months. Contact your insurance company as soon as possible. Insurance professionals are ready to help you understand what damages are covered, help you start your claim, and can even issue an initial check to start you on the road to recovery. If you need more information on submitting an insurance claim you can visit
6
www.iii.org. For information specific to California you can call the Department of Insurance consumer hotline at 1-800927-4357 or visit their website at www. insurance.ca.gov.
Sources: www.insurance.ca.gov www.iii.org/article/settling-insurance-claims-after-a-disaster
Resources Continued from page 3
ment Department (EDD) provides a variety of services to individuals impacted by disasters in California. These range from assistance for those who may have lost a job due to the disaster. Federal Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) is generally available to any unemployed worker or self-employed individual who: lived, worked, or was scheduled to work in the disaster area at the time of the disaster and due to the disaster: n No longer has a job or a place to work; or n Cannot reach the place of work; or n Cannot work due to damage to the place of work; or n Cannot work because of an injury caused by the disaster. UI claims also can be filed by telephone at 1-800-300- 5616, for Spanish, call 1-800326-8937 or for TTY, call 1-800-8159387. To find more information on DUA and how to file for unemployment insurance, DUA and other assistance available for disaster victims visit the EDD website at www.edd.ca.gov/About_EDD/Disaster_Related_Services.htm Sources: www.cdss.ca.gov/Portals/13/DisasterAssistanceGuideforImmigrantCaliforniansFinal. pdf?ver=2017-10-24-121156-427 wildfirerecovery.org