Five on Friday: Washington State Sets Heat Rule for Farmworkers

It’s hot out there! As we continue our work through the summer, we recognize the demanding and dangerous work of farmworkers and other outdoor workers whose vulnerability rises as temperatures increase.

Speaking of heat, Kaethe shared some good news from Washington state. The State Department of Labor and Industries ruled that farmworkers must have shade and rest breaks under emergency rules effective July 13, 2021. The ruling came about because of a petition from United Farm Workers. Read more about this successful advocacy effort here.

Kaethe also highlighted an article from the Washington Post about evidence showing that family separations at the border began earlier than originally reported. The article reports that family separations began as early as 2017 and that some of these families remain separated 4 years after they were initial torn apart.

MCN’s Health Network provides ongoing continuity of care to many pregnant women. Karen shared a New York Times article that discusses a new policy under the Biden Administration to end detention for most pregnant and postpartum undocumented immigrants which will greatly impact the lives of migrant women at the border. We don’t know yet how this will impact Health Network, but our Associates remain ready to assist any woman needing care while on the move.

MCN’s colleagues at the Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations (AAPCHO) consistently develop and distribute excellent resources for health centers and others serving vulnerable populations. Jillian wanted to highlight AAPCHO’s recent advocacy brief which explores the intersection of COVID-19, racism, and immigration for Asian patients. The advocacy brief concludes with important recommendations for federal policy makers to address these multiple pandemics. 

Weekly Win: And finally, for our Weekly Win, Amy shared an article looking at a successful vaccination effort for Latinx residents in Montgomery County, MD. Amy says that the article “supports the type of hyper local work that many of us are doing in our COVID-19 vaccination projects”.

Have a safe and healthy weekend!

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