SACRAMENTO, Sept. 12 (UPI) — California Gov. Jerry Brown on Monday signed a historic bill granting the same overtime pay rules to farm workers that other employees receive.
The new law will raise overtime pay for farm workers over a four-year period until it is the same time-and-a-half pay other employees get for working more than eight hours in a day or 40 hours in a week.
Brown signed the bill without comment, six years after former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed a similar bill.
California farm workers are only paid overtime after 10 hours in a day or 60 hours in a week. Smaller farms will be given more time to meet the new rules.
United Farm Workers of America hailed the bill as victory for farm workers 80 years in the making. Farm owners were displeased, saying it would hurt an already struggling industry.
The bill fell a few votes short of passing in June, but was recently resurrected by state lawmakers.
“We are letting the signature speak for itself,” said Deborah Hoffman, a spokesperson for the governor.
