Day Labor Jobs Program

The Day Labor Jobs Program provides employment opportunities for day laborers. The program is based on popular education that results in a worker-led process empowering workers to collectively decide their wage floors and job allocation system. The rules an procedures of the Jobs Program are mainly decided by the Worker Assembly, in which day laborers participate, and are implemented by the staff. The Hiring Coordinator is the principal staff person responsible for the program with support from the Workforce Organizer, Program Director, Director, and trained and dedicated volunteers. The Jobs Program is designed match day laborers with prospective employers negotiating the term of their hire within the rules and procedures decided by the Worker Assembly. Upon being hired, day laborers are expected to earn higher wage and employment outcomes while also decreasing wage theft rates relative to their counterparts who seek day labor work a local informal hiring sites. From these interactions, day laborers are expected to increase their formal labor market attachment due in part to the increase in social capital networking opportunities, a more transparent hiring process, and improved working conditions. In the long run, the Day Labor Jobs Program promotes the social and economi integration of day laborers into mainstream and formal economy.

Accepted to the Portfolio: August 2019