Santa Cruz County Business, Economy & Jobs Digest

The Live Oak School District is expected to go through another round of layoffs to stabilize finances and address a budget deficit.

An update to the ongoing repairs to the Santa Cruz Wharf including the demolition of the Dolphin Restaurant.

Elon Musk, the tech mogul who runs Tesla, said in December that diversity, equity and inclusion efforts “must die.” Now, two civil rights groups are calling for the nation’s largest public pension fund to divest from the electric vehicle maker.

Tens of thousands of California ride-hailing drivers, and possibly more, could eventually get back pay after a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision that clears the way for the state and some cities to proceed with their lawsuits against Uber and Lyft.

The state Labor Commissioner sometimes struggles to get back pay to workers when it reaches wage theft settlements. It tries social media, TV and hotlines. But money owed to employees is still sitting in state accounts.

The Waves of Wellness: Santa Cruz Festival will be held on October 19 in downtown Santa Cruz on Pacific Avenue, Cooper Street and Abbott square.

The Assembly approves Gov. Newsom’s bill on oil refineries on a 44-17 vote. But the state Senate will have its say during the special session.

A California minimum wage law that was delayed amid budget troubles is now set to go into effect Oct. 16. It’s expected to benefit hundreds of thousands of workers.

On September 27, the Service Employees International Union Local 521 announced a tentative deal with the County of Santa Cruz for a new labor contract, which must still be ratified by members.

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposal to combat gasoline price spikes appears headed to a long-awaited Assembly floor vote next week after passing out of committee on September 26.

The governor wants new gas reserves to dampen seasonal price spikes. Refiners say the move would raise prices and require new storage tanks.

An explanation of the Scotts Valley business license tax Measure X on the November ballot.

An explanation of Measure Y, an increase of the Capitola sales tax from 9% to 9.25%, on the November ballot.

Many California farmworkers have long lacked safe and affordable places to sleep — an issue thrown into sharp relief after last year’s mass shooting in Half Moon Bay, which left seven agricultural workers dead.

About 4 in 10 Californians are believed to be carrying medical debt, which can harm their chances of landing a mortgage or an apartment if it shows up on credit reports.

Jessica Alvarez Castañeda was sick of low-paying jobs. For years, the 39-year-old mother of four had been “breaking her back for almost nothing” as a cashier, nursing assistant, babysitter, house cleaner and cook.

Santa Cruz County Office of Education's Career and Adult Learning Services is offering a paid instruction and apprenticeship program to help fill the need for dental assistants in the county.

Santa Cruz County released the 2023 agriculture report, which showed a hit to productivity from the winter and spring storms and flooding.

In their September 10 meeting, the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors approved an ordinance allowing home kitchens for commercial food use.

California voters passed Proposition 22 four years ago. The ballot initiative, backed by Uber, Lyft and other gig companies, promised the state’s more than 1 million gig workers new benefits, such as guaranteed minimum earnings, health care stipends, occupational accident insurance and accidental death insurance.

California’s unemployment rate, 5.2% of its labor force in July, is no longer the nation’s highest after months of having that dubious distinction.

Santa Cruz developer Workbench has submitted an application for a mixed use development for 1024 Soquel Avenue.

Proposition 32 to increase the minimum wage from $16 isn’t as far-reaching as when it was first proposed. Fast food workers are already making more, and health care employees are on track. But worker groups are already pushing for more.

Legislators are pushing ahead with a retail theft bill package in their continued opposition of Proposition 36 — a November ballot measure backed by law enforcement groups and Republicans (and some Democrats) that would roll back parts of 2014’s Prop. 47.

Facing a $100 million budget shortfall, UCSC eyes budget cuts and possible layoffs.

The developer of a proposed mixed-use complex on West Cliff Drive and Bay Street announced they have ceased work on the project after years of planning, appeals to the California Coastal Commission and a neighborhood association lawsuit.

In his 2018 campaign, Gov. Gavin Newsom said he would create 500,000 new apprenticeships in the decade after taking office. So far, the state has registered more than 180,000 new apprenticeships. Many of them are firefighters.

After years of delay, a new California regulation to protect indoor workers from extreme heat is now in effect.

California Forever’s announcement July 22 that it has decided to pull a ballot measure that would have let voters decide on a controversial planned city in rural Solano County drew swift reaction from political leaders and opponents.

On July 22, California Forever announced it was withdrawing its initiative to amend the Solano County General Plan off the November ballot and would instead begin working with the county through the normal, though less expeditious, process.

Officials in The City and County of Santa Cruz and the City of Watsonville are exploring tax and other policy changes in how the cannabis industry is governed locally.

A judge has halted a union effort at the Wonderful Company, throwing into question a new state law designed to make it easier for agricultural workers to organize.