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Irvine considers more job protections for grocery workers. Here’s what the proposed law would do
Under a proposed ordinance, workers at some smaller grocery stores in Irvine would gain short-term job protections in the event of a sale.
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Jordan Madrid
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Getty Images via iStockphoto
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The city of Irvine is one step closer to adopting an ordinance to protect grocery workers from being laid off during a store ownership change.
The City Council voted 5-2 on Tuesday night (Aug. 11) to direct city staff to draft the ordinance. Councilmembers James Mai and Mike Carroll opposed the move.
The law would apply to grocery stores that are less than 15,000 square feet and employ more than 300 employees nationwide, according to memo from the council to the city manager. If a store is sold, new management would be required to keep employees for at least 90 days. Businesses that don’t follow the law could face fines.
Irvine’s proposal extends protections in place in California since 2024 for grocery store employees who work at markets larger than 15,000 square feet. For example, under Irvine's proposal workers at stores with smaller footprints like Trader Joe’s would qualify for these protections.
What officials had to say
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The Los Angeles mayor, who also chairs the Metro Board, plans to introduce a motion to study a fare-free transit system, her office said. The timing for the motion is unclear. -
Alexandra Lozano had offices across the country, including Southeast L.A. -
Small L.A. business owners have nearly zero rights to fight an eviction due to a 1987 state law that protects acquisition firms.
Councilmember Melinda Liu said the city has a responsibility to protect residents.
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“This is a protection of local workers and not an anti-business proposal,” Liu added. “This is not something that is going to turn any business away from the city of Irvine.”
Carroll, one of the two council members opposing the ordinance, said it seemed like local overreach.
“The way I look at it, my job is to focus on parks, police, public works, and property land use,” Carroll said. “This feels like something that needs to be taken up by the state.”
What’s next?
City staff will draft an official ordinance for a first reading at the next Irvine City Council meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 22.
Where: City Council Chamber, Irvine City Hall
Address: 1 Civic Center Plaza, Irvine
When: 4 p.m.
How to participate: Visit the ICTV page for information on remote viewing and how to submit public comment
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