This brief presents results from Harvesting Safety study, a random sample survey of 301 households conducted in rural communities among three San Joaquin Valley counties.
The survey asked questions related to income, and health and safety concerning households and workers. Findings suggest high levels of income loss, food insecurity and failure to pay rent. Findings also suggest strong support for greater workplace health and safety, and slowing down business reopenings. Most respondents were concerned with their own health and safety, nearly half could not affirm that their workplaces had COVID-19 safe practices, and most felt that the government was too quick to reopen businesses.
KEY FINDINGS
1. Nearly half (44%) of rural San Joaquin Valley households sampled experienced income reduction since March 1.
2. Three in ten (30%) households went without food, or relied on food stamps or a food bank. Fifteen percent (15%) of renters failed to pay rent in April or May.
3. Most respondents (59%) claimed they would be “very concerned” if they were to experience COVID-19 symptoms.
4. Most workers (57%) claimed they had not been able to work from home—for any amount of time—since the Governor’s stayat-home order on March 19.
5. Nearly half (46%) were unable to affirm that their workplaces had safe practices for preventing COVID-19 spread.
6. Only 28% of workers said they qualified for ten days of paid sick leave.
7. More than half (53%) of workers felt the government was opening businesses “too quickly” or “much too quickly.”
Pease see the entire Community and Labor Center Research Brief, Harvesting Safety Study here.
