LA County and LAEDC launch “Safer at Work LA” campaign to boost awareness of public health measures, local small businesses and support essential workers

LOS ANGELES, CA – Today, the Los Angeles County Department of Workforce Development, Aging and Community Services (WDACS), along with the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation (LAEDC), announced the launch of Safer at Work LA campaign. Safer at Work LA is a creative new countywide initiative to prevent the spread of COVID-19 at worksites/businesses by keeping everyone safer while at work, including essential workers who remain at work despite the pandemic.

Safer at Work LA builds a shared responsibility approach between businesses, employees, customers, and their communities to keep one another as safe as possible during the challenging months ahead. Through this campaign, the County is giving small businesses, micro enterprises and essential businesses along with their workers information on how to slow the spread of COVID-19, emphasizing that LA County respects and protects its essential workers. So far, 59 cities, 8 business chambers, and 61 businesses have agreed to champion the Safer at Work campaign. For more information about Safer at Work LA, please visit Saferatwork.LA.

“Our essential workers, by definition, are integral to the functioning of our healthcare system, food supply chain, government operations and much more. Keeping them safe is more important now than ever before,” said Supervisor Hilda L. Solis, Chair of the Board of Supervisors. “The Safer at Work LA campaign is a critical reminder that worksites and businesses, as well as customers and employees, must collectively work together to slow the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace.”

“All over the County we are seeing an astounding rise in case numbers. The Safer at Work program fosters mutual responsibility by providing businesses with the support they need to maintain safe workplaces,” said Supervisor Sheila Kuehl. “Every single one of us – customers, employees, business owners, community members – has an obligation to make sure that those on the front line are protected. My special thanks go out to the 59 cities, 8 business chambers, and 61 businesses that have stepped up and pledged to keep everyone safe through the Safer at Work campaign. ”

“This latest surge is dangerous. We must do everything we can to keep essential businesses as safe as possible – for employees and customers alike,” said Supervisor Janice Hahn. “Through Safer at Work, we are giving essential businesses the tools they need to not only keep their doors open, but also be our partners in the fight against this virus.”

“Everyone has a shared responsibility to protect one another and our local economy,” said Supervisor Kathryn Barger. “The County is working to support essential businesses, essential workers, and the customers that rely on them, throughout this pandemic by providing easily accessible tools and resources.”

“Every day we work with LA County businesses to overcome the struggles they have encountered through this pandemic,” said Otto Solórzano, Acting Director of WDACS. “For essential workers who have to be at work, being Safer at Work is essential. The Safer at Work campaign is just one of our efforts to make it easier for employers and employees to understand their responsibilities to remain healthy and safe from COVID-19. Safer at Work encourages employers to implement COVID-compliant best practices, gives essential workers the tools they need to maintain a safe workplace, and invites customers to do their part to help rebuild our local economy.”

“Thousands of small businesses have told us their dreams and life savings are on the line, as are the health of their employees and customers without whom there is no future for their enterprises, so they want all of us to be in the fight to preserve the health and safety of everyone in the workplace,” said LAEDC CEO Bill Allen. “We have the messages and tools to kick off this campaign, and we are asking every employer and every Angeleno to adopt and support this campaign and truly keep each other safer at work.”

Small businesses provide the majority of jobs in the United States. Unfortunately, according to recent surveys, a high percentage of small businesses do not expect to survive through the pandemic. LA County has already lost thousands of lives, approximately 15,000 small businesses have experienced closure, and hundreds of thousands of workers have lost their jobs to COVID-19. However, in addition to the recent Los Angeles County Department of Public Health’s restrictions, we know that wearing a mask, washing our hands, and practicing social distancing keeps us safer at work.

Safer at Work LA utilizes a three-prong approach to support employers, employees, and customers:

• Safer at Work LA provides employers with the information and resources they need in order to create a safer work environment.
• Safer at Work LA provides employees with the information and resources they need to protect themselves, their co-workers and customers.
• Safer at Work LA provides customers with clear and friendly directions on how to be safer patrons at our diverse businesses. All patrons will be encouraged to follow easy best practices while shopping local businesses.

Utilizing materials from the campaign, Safer at Work LA will also rely on trusted community members to use their social networks to drive a community level approach that hinges on all of our shared responsibility during this pandemic. With this community support, creative public art inspired by the rich tradition of historic Los Angeles sign-making will be visible in local neighborhoods to encourage all of us to do our part.

The Safer at Work LA initiative’s toolkit of support for small businesses includes:

• A robust hub of multilingual communication tools, accessible at SaferAtWork.LA, for local businesses to download, print, or order to share accurate, easy-to-understand COVID safety communications with employees, customers, community members, and others
• Digital assets designed to take advantage of all platforms, including digital billboards, social media, local radio and TV spots, and more
• Creative earned media through public art interventions (e.g., wild postings, murals, chalk art, etc.) that focus on unique industries and communities, and reinforce our shared responsibility to keep each other safe, especially at work
• Multilingual small business assistance training webinars and one-on-one consulting offered by LAEDC for small businesses experiencing pandemic-related challenges
• Resources can be accessed on the campaign’s website, SaferAtWork.LA, as well as the Los Angeles County Disaster Center helpline (1-833-877-8008). Businesses in need of consulting are encouraged to contact LAEDC directly at [email protected].

Together, we will keep everyone in LA Safer at Work.