COVID-19 resulted in thousands of Angelenos (along with the rest of the world) losing their jobs.  Now that there is an apparent lull in the pandemic, there is hope for getting locals back to work thanks to various endeavors undertaken by decision-makers and policy creators. 

One example of this was the Senate Bill 93 that Governor Newsom recently signed.  In it, he requested that hospitality employers re-hire the workers they had to lay off before they look to hiring new workers.  His signing of the bill was commended by the Service Employees International Union California which pointed out that this will likely benefit people of color and women who will be “first in line when their jobs come back as businesses reopen and that they can’t be retaliated against or passed up for younger employees.”

This policy is known as a Right of Recall Protection and has been adopted in various communities throughout the state of California.

In related news, the Senate now has a ‘Build Back Boldly’ budget, offering a rare chance to create an impressive transformation through California.  According to Senator Toni G. Atkins: 

“California has long led the nation on things like expanding health care for the middle class and undocumented immigrants, providing paid family leave and a higher minimum income, and establishing our own Earned Income Tax Credit.  With the Build Back Boldly budget, the Senate continues to prioritize smart investments that take care of Californians and take California into the future.”

The main goals of the proposal are: 0-3 childcare/education for all; the establishment of debt-free college for all; provide resources for non-profits and small businesses to recover completely post-COVID-19; transform homelessness by making home ownership and rental affordability a reality; healthcare affordable for all and an overall improvement in state systems.