Local & Community
Coachella Valley Farmworkers Receive $9,400 in Wage Settlement Payments
Eleven Coachella Valley farmworkers and their families gathered in Coachella over Labor Day weekend to receive settlement payments following a dispute involving unpaid wages and alleged violations of meal and rest break requirements.
The workers received a combined total of about $9,400 during an event at the TODEC Farmworker Justice Center. The California Labor Commissioner’s Office oversaw the distribution.
The dispute involved claims that agricultural workers were not paid all of the wages they were owed and were not provided required meal and rest periods.
California’s Department of Industrial Relations says agricultural workers are entitled to meal and rest periods under state law, including a 30-minute meal period for qualifying shifts and paid rest periods based on hours worked.
A representative of the Labor Commissioner’s Office said officials used California’s recently updated crop lien law to engage the employer and recover wages owed to the workers.
“We were able to engage the employer most swiftly and recover the wages that were owed to these workers,” the representative said.
Officials also acknowledged that some workers may be hesitant to come forward when they believe their workplace rights have been violated.
That is why the Labor Commissioner’s Office works with organizations such as TODEC Legal Center to identify cases and help workers navigate the process of coming forward.
California’s labor laws protect workers regardless of immigration status, according to the Labor Commissioner’s Office. Workers can file wage claims for issues including unpaid wages and certain meal and rest break violations.
The settlement distribution coincided with the beginning of Labor Day weekend, providing an opportunity for advocates to highlight the rights of agricultural workers and the importance of enforcing workplace protections.
TODEC leaders say the event also reinforced the message that workers should be able to seek help when they believe they have been treated unfairly on the job, regardless of their immigration status.
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By: NBC Palm Springs
September 6, 2026
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