The Californer - California: Governor Newsom continues supporting Los Angeles business, fire recovery workers with funding, educational workplace safety outreach

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Mar 18, 2025

Governor Newsom continues supporting Los Angeles business, fire recovery workers with funding, educational workplace safety outreach

What you need to know: Governor Newsom and Los Angeles community-based organizations (CBOs) today announced $25 million to advance educational outreach to workers and businesses about vital health, safety, and workplace protections.

LOS ANGELES — As rebuilding in the Los Angeles area continues at record speed, Governor Gavin Newsom announced the state is awarding $25 million and strengthening partnerships with local communities to ensure fire recovery workers and businesses have access to additional workplace safety information through a California Workplace Outreach Project (CWOP).

"We're helping ensure that brave fire recovery workers and businesses have vital workplace safety information."

Governor Gavin Newsom

California Labor & Workforce Development Agency (LWDA), Department of Industrial Relations (DIR), California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA), California State Labor Commissioner, and representatives from Los Angeles Community Based Organizations (CBOs) will issue $25 million in funding for the CWOP to support 89 community-based organizations across the state.

CWOP is a DIR partnership with CBOs to provide critical information about workplace protections, labor rights, and health and safety measures for workers in high-risk industries. The outreach work will help notify workers and businesses about vital health and safety protections, hazard prevention, and other worker protections for people and businesses helping Los Angeles cleanup and rebuild.

Today's actions build on multiple efforts across the state to support workers and businesses who are helping the Los Angeles community recover and rebuild.

Earlier this month, the Los Angeles County Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) and City of Los Angeles announced the first round of grants for the LA Region Small Business and Worker Relief Funds.
Governor Newsom launched the California Jobs First Economic Blueprint, which was paired with $125 million for new, ready-to-go projects and $15 million for economic development projects for California Native American tribes.
The Governor announced $3 million to support the Los Angeles Jobs First Collaborative's regional plan.
Governor Newsom launched Engaged California—a first-in-the-nation effort to gather public input and ideas about making government run better.
Governor Newsom issued an executive order to defer licensing fees and waive other requirements to remove barriers to recovery and help businesses and workers.
The Governor met with workers and small business owners impacted by the Los Angeles firestorm to hear their stories, discuss the path forward, and share information about the massive efforts to rebuild.
Local communities praised California's $24 million investments in infrastructure and support for small business and workers including: $10 million to the LA Region Small Business Relief Fund, $3 million toward the Los Angeles Jobs First Collaborative, and $11 million toward High Road Training Partnerships with workforce training organizations based in Los Angeles.
Governor Newsom secured up to $20 million in federal grants to create temporary jobs in impacted areas and deliver other supportive services through America's Job Center of California.

And California has worked with local communities and federal and local providers to help businesses and workers in many ways, including:

Supporting workers and employers: The Employment Development Department (EDD) supports workers with unemployment, disability insurance, or Paid Family Leave (https://edd.ca.gov/en/disability/paid-family-leave/) benefits, including Disaster Unemployment Assistance (https://edd.ca.gov/en/unemployment/Disaster_Unemployment_Assistance/) (DUA) for those who do not qualify for regular unemployment benefits. The Governor took action to extend payroll tax deadlines and reporting requirements—a move that has helped thousands of businesses (https://edd.ca.gov/en/payroll_taxes/Emergency_and_Disaster_Assistance_for_Employers/) in the Los Angeles area. Employers (https://edd.ca.gov/en/payroll_taxes/emergency_and_disaster_assistance_for_employers) can request a 60-day extension on payroll reports and taxes, or participate in the Work Sharing program (https://edd.ca.gov/en/unemployment/work_sharing_program/).
On-the-ground advisors for small businesses: Over 200 business advisors from Small Business Support Centers help answer questions about economic recovery, loan application processes, insurance, employee and workforce support, and business planning.
Providing resources for recovery: CalOSBA launched a Resource Guide (https://mclist.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=afffa58af0d1d42fee9a20e55&id=3b9dcae174&e=0b26ba1b5c) for small businesses impacted by the wildfires through its Outsmart Disaster website (https://mclist.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=afffa58af0d1d42fee9a20e55&id=794800d7f6&e=0b26ba1b5c).
Financial assistance for businesses: The California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank (https://mclist.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=afffa58af0d1d42fee9a20e55&id=3d0c88aa94&e=0b26ba1b5c) (IBank) loan programs help businesses from one to 750 employees affected by the LA wildfires. Disaster Relief Loan Guarantee Program (https://mclist.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=afffa58af0d1d42fee9a20e55&id=7452f9e10d&e=0b26ba1b5c) (DRLGP) issues loan guarantees up to 95%.
Expediting contractor licensing: The Contractor State Licensing Board (CSLB) is rapidly processing licensing applications to continue expediting efforts to rebuild homes and businesses.
Helping fire survivors rebuild safely: CSLB is also partnering with state agencies to promote California-licensed contractors for repairs or to rebuild their homes or businesses. CSLB's Disaster Hotline 1-800-962-1125 and online Disaster Help Center (https://www.cslb.ca.gov/disaster) also provided valuable support to survivors.
Protecting against unlicensed contractors: Investigation teams notified the public that it is a felony to contract without a license in a California disaster area, urged consumers to always check licenses (https://www.cslb.ca.gov/OnlineServices/CheckLicenseII/CheckLicense.aspx) before hiring a contractor, and recommended reporting any unlicensed activity immediately by filing complaints at www2.cslb.ca.gov (https://www2.cslb.ca.gov/OnlineServices/ConstructionComplaint/).
Helping licensees rebuild their businesses: The Board of Barbering and Cosmetology (https://www.barbercosmo.ca.gov/licensees/index.shtml), the Board of Accountancy (https://www.dca.ca.gov/cba/los-angeles-wildfire-assistance.shtml), and other DCA boards (https://www.dca.ca.gov/about_us/entities.shtml) rescheduled licensing examinations at no charge and are issuing duplicate licenses for original licenses lost in the fires.
Governor Newsom also issued multiple executive orders (https://mclist.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=afffa58af0d1d42fee9a20e55&id=5e7305cfa2&e=0b26ba1b5c) to help speed rebuilding and recovery, create more temporary housing, and protect survivors.

Press Releases (https://www.gov.ca.gov/category/press-releases/), Recent News (https://www.gov.ca.gov/category/all/recent-news/)

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