San Francisco city attorney permitted to sue companies that abruptly cut janitorial, security jobs

SAN FRANCISCO – The San Francisco Metropolis Lawyer is now licensed to convey civil motion towards janitorial, safety and constructing upkeep contracting firms in the event that they abruptly terminate jobs. 

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors unanimously authorized an ordinance on Tuesday that goals to raised shield employees from illegal layoffs. 

The ordinance comes after 48 Twitter custodians had been abruptly fired in December after the social media firm minimize ties with Flagship, a janitorial firm.  

Janitors marched from Metropolis Corridor to the Twitter Headquarters on Market Avenue to demand their jobs again, which they alleged they misplaced with out severance or correct discover. San Francisco’s head policymakers like Mayor London Breed, state Sen. Scott Wiener and Assemblymember Matt Haney drew their assist. 

Underneath present metropolis police code, safety, janitorial and upkeep companies contracting with a constructing should retain staff who had been working with the constructing prior contractor for the primary 90 days, in any other case known as a “transition employment interval.” 

The ordinance handed on Tuesday permits labor requirements regulators to facilitate the transition interval, acquire worker info and share it with a constructing’s successor contractor. 

Underneath the brand new modification of the police code, the San Francisco Workplace of Labor Requirements Enforcement is permitted to analyze violations, order aid like backpay and penalties, and create pathways for firms to enchantment violations.   

The coverage additionally permits each aggrieved staff and town lawyer to file go well with towards a successor contractor for injunctive aid if it fails to retain employees. 

“Our legislation is about as much as be very clear to say for those who displace employees, they’ve a simply transition interval. It’s a must to notify them,” stated Supervisor Ahsha Safai throughout Tuesday’s assembly. “With this laws at present, we primarily say the Workplace of Labor Requirements Enforcement now can are available and implement this legislation.” 

“It is unconscionable that an organization and an individual like Elon Musk would goal the bottom, lowest wage employees and deal with them with out dignity and respect,” Safai added. 

Supervisors Myrna Melgar, Matt Dorsey, Rafael Mandelman and Hillary Ronen requested to be co-sponsors of the ordinance earlier than the board unanimously handed it.