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KESQ-TV (
Laborers File Suit Over Inadequate Conditions During Extreme Heat
A lawsuit filed in Riverside County Superior Court has alleged a farm
labor contractor of failing to provide adequate conditions for Coachella
Valley laborers working in the extreme heat earlier this month.
A temporary restraining order and an order to show cause were issued
against Magaña Labor Services to comply with state regulations to
protect workers from heat stress, according to the California Rural
Legal Assistance.
In the lawsuit, workers complained that the contractor failed to provide
adequate drinking water, which was too hot to drink. About 25 workers
were employed to harvest bell peppers in the Coachella Valley.
The lawsuit also says the workers were discouraged to take breaks and
were terminated when they complained of the conditions.
Judge Harold W. Hopp issued emergency orders Friday to fully comply with
state law including providing adequate drinking water, shade shelters,
and training for workers to recognize heat stress symptoms.
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