California regulators have issued a citation of $1.2 million to Flying Food Group, an airline catering company, for allegedly being slow in recalling 21 workers who were laid off during the COVID-19 pandemic. The state Division of Labor Standards Enforcement found that Flying Food failed to recall the employees in the order of their hire date, which is a violation of Senate Bill 93. This bill provides job protection for airline catering workers, cooks, housekeepers, and waiters in California who were laid off during the pandemic. The intention of the law was to prevent the displacement of workers through no fault of their own, and the Labor Commissioner is actively pursuing justice in this case.
In response to the citation, representatives from Flying Food were unavailable for comment. One employee, Sonia Ceron, a dishwasher, was laid off in February 2020 but was not brought back until August 2022. She believes the company could have recalled her earlier, but instead chose to hire new workers. Eventually, all of the union-represented workers were returned to their jobs, but the union argues that they should have been brought back as soon as business recovered. For Ceron, being laid off for 2 ½ years was challenging, particularly as a single mother.
Flying Food has also faced other labor violations in the past year. Recently, Cal/OSHA issued six citations for health and safety violations, including failure to ensure unobstructed exits in case of an emergency. These citations stemmed from a complaint filed by four workers who claimed that management locked multiple exit doors on the day they planned to picket for higher wages. Additionally, the company has been cited by the California Highway Patrol for failing to properly inspect and maintain vehicles, and it has violated the minimum wage requirements on multiple occasions.
It is clear that Flying Food Group has faced multiple accusations and penalties for their actions, extending beyond the recall of workers during the pandemic. These violations highlight the need for companies to prioritize the well-being and protection of their employees, especially during challenging times.
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