Proposed ordinance could give laid-off hospitality employees their jobs back

MONTEREY, Calif. (KION)

Monterey County is to consider a hospitality employee recall ordinance to bring former workers back to work as the economy begins to reopen.

Monterey County Supervisor Luis Alejo says approval of the ordinance would make former employees first in line to be called back to their jobs with the same position, wage and benefits as they had before the pandemic.

On Wednesday, furloughed hospitality worker Bertrand DePrez volunteered at a food distribution at Monterey Peninsula College for former hospitality workers in need.

DePrez says life without work has been challenging to get used to.

“As you know, it’s difficult to find other jobs and hospitality is very important in Monterey County," says DePrez.

Hospitality is the second largest industry in Monterey County with an estimated 25,000 employees.

Thousands of those employees were laid-off as the stay at home guidelines limited travel and leisure activities.

“The idea under this ordinance is that based on seniority, that employers will start calling people back based on their seniority, so if they’ve been working there longer, they’re going to be the first persons called back," says Supervisor Alejo.

However, some current furloughed workers say they worry not all former workers will be called back even if the ordinance passes.

Celica Valdez, a hospitality union worker, says the call back process has already begun for some hotels and hears from other former workers who say they feel they may not see a fair opportunity because of old age and possible bias.

“I have been talking to some, they feel that they’re not being called back because of their age, sometimes because those workers that are calling back are friends with management or relatives or something and they’re not calling them back to work," says Valdez.

Valdez says the ordinance would benefit many laid-off hospitality workers who have been unable to receive stimulus or unemployment benefits because of legal status.

Supervisor Alejo explains the plan would only apply to unincorporated areas in Monterey County, such as Pebble Beach and would need additional action from surrounding cities like Monterey, Marina, Seaside and Salinas to pass ordinances that would also cover those city limits.

Supervisor Alejo says he is still in process of getting this item on the Board's next agenda and hopes it will be discussed in the next 30 days, adding it could be a few months before former workers get their jobs back if the ordinance is passed.