Workplace Health and Safety
Healthy Nail Salon
Santa Clara County is implementing the Healthy Nail Salon Recognition Program to protect the health of nail salon workers and customers, and to improve indoor air quality. To date, there are 124 certified healthy nail salons are in Santa Clara County.
Contact Healthy Nail Program by
main line of DEH (408) 918-3400
call Katherine Nguyen (408) 918-1910.Visit our website: www.sccgov.org/healthynails.
- PARTNERS:
- SCC Department of Environmental Health
- Office of the County Counsel
- California Health Nail Salon Collaborative
Wage Theft Prevention
Nov 4, 2014, the Board approved the Wage Theft Prevention Policy to:
- Leverage its contracting power to ensure that contractors are aware that they must comply with wage and hour laws, and
- Further the County's interest in ensuring that workers are fully compensated.
- PARTNERS:
- Office of the County Counsel
- Wage Theft Coalition
- Office of Countywide Contracting Management
- Division of Social Justice and Equity (OWP, OLGBTQ Affairs, OIR, OCC)
- Department of Environmental Health
Prevention of Slavery, Human Trafficking, Wage Theft and Sexual Assault and Harassment in Construction
On August 28, 2018, the Board approved a referral asking for options relating to prevention of slavery, human trafficking, wage theft and sexual assault and harassment in the construction of housing.
- PARTNERS:
- Office of the County Executive
- Office of the County Counsel
- Office of Labor Standards Enforcement
- Building Trades Council
OLSE Sexual assault and Harassment Scope of Enforcement
On December 4, 2018, the Board approved a referral to add sexual assault and harassment judgments to the scope of the Office of Labor Standards Enforcement.
- PARTNERS:
- Office of Labor Standards Enforcement
Economic Equity
Living Wage
The Board of Supervisors adopted the Living Wage Ordinance that ensures that employees of county contractors are paid a living wage with County funds to strengthen families and the County's economy.
- PARTNERS:
- Supervisor Ken Yeager
- County's Chief Operating Officer Miguel Marquez
- Office of the County Counsel
- Working Partnerships USA
- South Bay Labor Council
Pay Equity
The Board enacted a pay equity policy that affirms the County's commitment to equal pay and opportunity and enables action against County contractors that violate pay equity laws. The County also eliminated the prior salary field from its online employment application.
- PARTNERS:
- Supervisor Dave Cortese
- Commission on the Status of Women
- Office of Women's Policy
- Equal Opportunity Department
- Employee Services Agency
- Procurement Department
Community Workforce Agreement (CWA)
CWA is now required on all County's public works projects over $2 million. It requires that project contractors and labor unions include hiring of targeted populations. This will result in apprenticeship jobs for County clients from poverty programs, foster youth, re-entry, domestic violence survivors, others.
- PARTNERS:
- Facilities and Fleet
- Working Partnerships USA
- Building Trades
Maternity and Paternity Leave for Executive Leadership Positions
Per the October 30, 2018 referral to amend Executive Leadership Master Salary Ordinance to ensure access to parental leave and related benefits for County Executive Managers. On November 20, 2018, the Board adopted an ordinance adding a provision affording maternity and paternity leave for employees in County of Santa Clara in unrepresented executive leadership positions.
- PARTNERS:
- Office of the County Executive
Violence Against Women
ODARA tool
Since July 2017, the County has been using the Ontario Domestic Assault Risk Assessment (ODARA) tool which is a 13 question interview with the victim. It is used to assess whether offenders are likely to re-assault their current or former domestic or dating partners.
- PARTNERS:
- Office of Pretrial Services
- Superior Court
Rape Kits Processing
In June 2018, the Board approved $300,000 to process 120 outstanding sexual assault kits, and $264,156 to add 2 Criminalists to the Crime Lab's SART kits team. The strengthened SART team will process all SART kits under 30 days (as opposed to 120 days which is the State's recommendation).
In September 2019, the Office of the District Attorney will report to the Board relative to the progress made on processing outstanding kits and shortening the processing time to under 30 days. The DA will also report back on the outreach his office conducted to law enforcement agencies to conduct an audit of SART kits in their possession.
- PARTNERS:
- Office of the District Attorney
Temporary Restraining Order and Permanent Restraining Order Firearms Review
The review is intended for the Board of Supervisors to better understand how California state law regulates firearm prohibitions for persons subject to domestic violence temporary and permanent restraining orders, how such orders are enforced in SCC, and what can be done better to protect the lives of IPA victims.
In January 2019, the Board will consider a more refined set of recommendations relative to improving the enforcement of laws pertaining to firearm prohibitions for persons subject to domestic violence temporary and permanent restraining orders.
- PARTNERS:
- Office of the County Counsel
- Office of the District Attorney
- Domestic Violence Council
- Office of Women's Policy
IPV 400% increase in funding
In June 2018, the Board of Supervisors approved $5.125 million to fund adequate and efficient services to victims, collect accurate data relative to service needs and will set the stage for the next phase of establishing an integrated and comprehensive system of care for the victims. On November 6, 2018, the Board approved an additional $1 million to go toward the County's IPV program.
- PARTNERS:
- Dr. Jeff Smith, County Executive
- Office of Women's Policy
- Domestic Violence Advocacy Consortium
Established Human Trafficking Commission and invested in services for victims
This resulted in strengthened law enforcement response, County investments in services and training and awareness raising.
- PARTNERS:
- Office of the District Attorney
- Office of the Sheriff
- Probation Department
- Office of Women's Policy
- Social Services Agency
Massage Establishment Ordinance
On October 6, 2015, the Board adopted an amended ordinance relating to massage establishments, massage therapists and massage practitioners which improves the County's ability to regulate massage establishments and reduce the risk of human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation.
- PARTNERS:
- Office of the County Counsel
Justice-Involved Women and Girls
Gender responsive jails and criminal justice system assessment
To successfully develop and implement policies, practices, programs and services for women offenders, the County jails will undergo a gender responsive assessment. The assessment will include but not be limited to classification, policies and procedures, discharge and transition planning, living conditions and conditions of confinement, staffing and training, and services and programs. This will be followed by the gender-responsive assessment of the criminal justice continuum. The RFP for this service is expected to be issued in January 2019.
- PARTNERS:
- Office of the Sheriff
- Office of the County Executive
Permanent Parenting Classroom Space in the New Jail
On October 30, 2018, the Board approved a referral include sufficient and sufficiently equipped space for parenting education in the new jail. This space will be situated on the reentry floor of the new jail and it will provide an opportunity for incarcerated parents to interact with their children with the help of parenting experts.
- PARTNERS:
- Supervisor Ken Yeager
- Office of the Sheriff
- Office of the County Executive
Permanent Classroom Spaces for Women in the Jail
On December 4, 2018, the Board approved a requesting an assessment of classroom space needs in Elmwood as well as a budget and a timeline for building permanent classroom spaces in Elmwood starting with the classroom space for women. This space will accommodate a variety of vocational and other classes which will be geared toward the empowerment and workforce development of incarcerated women in Santa Clara County.
- PARTNERS:
- Office of the Sheriff
- Office of the County Executive
Leadership and Empowerment
Women's Equality 2020 Leadership Council Established
This effort honors the 100th anniversary of women's right to vote in Santa Clara County by establishing a countywide committee to develop a series of events that will help increase voter registration over the next two years and help ensure the Census 2020 numbers are accurate.
- PARTNERS:
- American Association of University Women (AAUW)
- League of Women Voters
- Office of Women's Policy
Women's Monuments Committee and Fund
The County is leading the region in "retrofitting history" so it reflects women's legacy achievements. The funds will be used toward the visible historical recognition of women's achievements and contributions, including art, monuments, preservation of artifacts, gathering places including statutes, monuments and parks.
- PARTNERS:
- American Association of University Women (AAUW)
- League of Women Voters
Convened Women's CSFC Hearing with Supervisor Dave Cortese
The Children, Seniors, and Families Committee (CSFC) held special hearing on Women's Issues on January 17, 2017. The hearings were motivated by the potential actions by the new Federal Administration, such as hostile rhetoric and actions regarding women, overtures and potential actions restricting women's reproductive health, such as the repeal of the Affordable Care Act, the appointment of one or more Supreme Court Justices with the assumption that they would contribute to the reversal of Roe v. Wade, and the threat to defund Planned Parenthood.
- PARTNERS:
- Supervisor Dave Cortese
- David Campos, Deputy County Executive
- Office of Women's Policy