California Workplace Outreach Project (CWOP) Supplemental Request for Applications (RFA) Program Year (PY) 2026-2027

Purpose

CWOP empowers community-based organizations (CBOs) to be trusted messengers for DIR and the Labor and Workforce Development Agency, delivering crucial information on workers’ rights and safety measures to workers, employers, and their communities. The present RFA is intended to supplement the current CWOP cohort.

Description

Strategic Components of CWOP 5.0/6.0: Comprehensive Education on Workplace Protections: Expanding the scope included workplace protections to improve workplace safety and health conditions for workers, combat wage theft and protection from retaliation, and provide workers with information on their rights to benefits and medical care for work-related illnesses and injuries. Language: Continuing the commitment to diversity, outreach materials will be accessible in multiple languages, addressing the needs of California's diverse workforce. Outreach: Utilizing interactive activities to engage workers and employers in meaningful discussions about safety practices, rights, and resources regardless of immigration status. This includes workshops, seminars, and direct outreach efforts. Collaboration: Strengthen ties with CBOs, labor, occupational health centers, and agricultural associations to enhance the reach and impact of the program. Rural Strategic Engagement: Targeted outreach and legal resources to support access to in-person services in under-resourced, rural areas for especially vulnerable workers. Priority Topics: workplace health and safety and hazards such as heat illness, paid sick leave, wage theft, Workers ’Compensation, anti-retaliation protections, worker-related complaints, claim filing processes and procedures, and support filing complaints for workplace non-compliance. High-risk industries: agriculture, car wash, food processing, including meatpacking, food service, including restaurants, grocery, and retail, janitorial and hospitality, warehouse/logistics, manufacturing, garment, residential care, and others as identified by DIR.