Workshop 05 — Worker Rights · Facilitator Lesson Plan

For: CSC office staff, case managers, bilingual volunteers You are NOT a lawyer. Your job: (1) name the rights, (2) say "even if you're paid cash, even if you don't have papers, you have these rights," (3) hand them one phone number. Every specific situation routes to CA Labor Commissioner 833-526-4636, Bet Tzedek, AAAJ-LA, or CSC services.

1 · At-a-Glance

2 · Learning Objectives

After this workshop, participants will be able to:

1. Name the minimum wage that applies in LA (LA City $18.42 / CA $16.90 / Fast Food $20) and that the highest applicable rate wins.
2. Identify when overtime is owed (1.5× over 8/day, 2× over 12, 1.5× over 40/week) and that meal/rest breaks are a legal right.
3. State: "Even if I'm paid cash, even if I don't have papers, I have these rights." Know the Labor Commissioner does not ask about immigration status.
4. Save 833-526-4636 (CA Labor Commissioner, free, multilingual) and know wage claims have a 3-year filing window.

3 · Pre-Workshop Checklist (15 min before start)

Tech

• Open https://worker-rights-workshop.pages.dev/ — confirm Slide 2 wage bar chart renders
• Click "揭晓答案" on Slide 8 once to confirm two-phase reveal; reload to reset
• Confirm Slide 14 QR renders (needs WiFi first load); bookmark URL on backup phone

Materials

• Print ~20 copies of Slide 14 as a one-page handout (the three resource cards: Labor Commissioner 833-526-4636 · LA Office of Wage Standards 1-844-924-3752 · Bet Tzedek bettzedek.org — plus the QR URL). Browser "Print → just this page" works.
• Print the Quick Reference Card (section 12) — keep on lectern
• Bilingual sign-in sheet — no immigration-status questions on it

Room

• U-shape if ≤ 12; rows if ≥ 13
• Door open so late arrivals can slip in without being identified

Yourself

• Skim this plan once (15 min)
• Practice the bilingual opening aloud
• Practice the "I'm not a lawyer, here's who to call" line until automatic

4 · Audience Snapshot

Participants from Monterey Park, Alhambra, Rosemead, San Gabriel — many work in restaurant kitchens, dim sum service, nail salons, home caregiving, supermarket stocking, garment sewing, rideshare/delivery. A meaningful share are paid cash, paid below minimum, working 10–12 hour shifts without real meal breaks, or carrying years of unpaid wages they assume they can't recover. Some are undocumented, some hold green cards, some are citizens — you will not know which, and you should never ask. They came because someone they trust said 去听听. They want to find out whether what's happening is normal, and what one phone number is safe to call.

5 · Cultural & Bilingual Tips

• Universal framing, not exception framing. Don't say "even undocumented workers have rights" as if it's a carve-out. Say "所有工人都有这些权利 — 不论身份,不论现金或支票" (all workers, regardless of status, regardless of cash or check). Rights are the default.
• Never shame cash pay. Many have been paid cash for 20 years. Don't say "you should be paid by check." Say "现金发薪不影响您的权利."
• Face-saving questions. Never "who here has been underpaid?" Always "如果有人…" (if someone…). Third-person hypotheticals only.
• Bilingual cadence. Chinese first, English second, especially on numbers.
• You are NOT a lawyer. When anyone describes a specific situation, don't analyze. Say: "这种情况最好直接告诉劳工专员办公室 — 833-526-4636,免费,多语言,不查身份。" Offer to walk them through it after.

6 · Slide-by-Slide Script

One block per slide. SAY verbatim. POINT TO keeps eyes on the visual. ASK opens a conversation. WATCH FOR = common confusion. IF SHORT = your trim card. Slides 8–13 require clicking "揭晓答案" before advancing.

Slide 1 · Title · ⏱ 1 min

SAY: "欢迎大家。今天30分钟,讲三件事:1) 您应该拿多少工资 2) 雇主不能做什么 3) 出问题打哪个电话。" — "Welcome. 30 min, three things: 1) what you should be paid 2) what your boss can't do 3) one phone number."

WATCH FOR: Latecomers. Don't pause; keep flow.

Slide 2 · Minimum Wage · ⏱ 3 min

SAY: "您有权获得最低工资。同样的工作,在不同地方,最低工资不一样。" — "You're entitled to minimum wage. Same job, different places, different floors."

POINT TO: Four bars — Fast Food $20, LA City $18.42, CA State $16.90, Federal $7.25 (gray, short). "联邦只有 $7.25 — 但加州工人不用这个数字。"

ASK: "如果在洛杉矶市内工作,最低工资是多少?" (Answer: $18.42.)

WATCH FOR: "Which applies to me?" — "取最高者适用 — whichever is highest wins." Participants in Alhambra/Monterey Park (NOT LA City) fall under CA State $16.90. Don't get into city-by-city; route to the hotline.

IF SHORT: Skip Fast Food detail. Just "LA市 $18.42, 加州 $16.90, 取最高者适用."

STRETCH (advanced): "如果一个朋友在 Alhambra 工作,但雇主把支票寄到 LA 市的办公室 — 哪个最低工资适用?" / "If a friend works in Alhambra but the employer mails the check from an LA City office — which floor applies?" (Answer: where the work is performed — Alhambra → CA $16.90. Don't decide harder edge cases; route to the hotline.) Third-person framing on purpose.

SCAFFOLD (beginner): Point to the tallest bar on the chart and say "取最高者适用 — 这一根。" Three fingers up: "LA City. CA. Fast Food. 取最高。" No ASK; participants who know their city can nod or point. No need to say their employer name aloud.

Slide 3 · Overtime · ⏱ 3 min

SAY: "超时工作必须额外付钱。不是雇主的'好意' — 是法律。" — "Overtime must be paid extra. Not a favor — the law."

POINT TO: Three cards — 1.5× after 8/day, 2× after 12/day, 1.5× after 40/week.

ASK: "每天工作10小时,超过8小时的2个小时怎么算?" (1.5× regular rate. Walk it: "$20 → $30/hr.")

WATCH FOR: "But I agreed to no overtime." Note-block: "加班费不可由老板'自愿放弃'代替 — cannot be waived by agreement." Signed waivers don't count.

IF SHORT: Skip the worked example.

Slide 4 · Breaks · ⏱ 2.5 min

SAY: "用餐和休息是您的权利,不是雇主的恩惠。" — "Breaks are your right, not a gift."

POINT TO: 30分钟 per 5 hrs (unpaid meal), 10分钟 per 4 hrs (paid rest), +1 hr extra pay if missed.

ASK: "每天工作10小时,老板从不让休息 — 每天欠他多少额外的钱?" (At least +1 hr; sometimes +2 if rest breaks also missed.)

WATCH FOR: "I eat while working" — that's not a real meal break. Don't analyze; say: "如果休息时还在工作,那不算休息 — 打热线问清楚。"

IF SHORT: Skip the ASK.

Slide 5 · Paid Sick Leave · ⏱ 1 min

SAY: "病假是带薪的 — 全职、兼职、临时工都适用。" — "Sick leave is paid — full-time, part-time, temp all qualify."

POINT TO: 40 hrs/yr (5 days), 90 days to start, self OR family member.

ASK: "请假照顾生病的孩子,能用病假吗?" (Yes — covers immediate family.)

WATCH FOR: "Small businesses exempt." Wrong under AB 1522 — virtually all employers. Route to hotline.

IF SHORT: Just read the three numbers.

Slide 6 · Rights Regardless of Status · ⏱ 3 min

SAY: "这一张特别重要。无论移民身份,所有工人享有完整劳工保护。" (Pause. Let it land.)

POINT TO: Each of the four items in turn:

1. §1171.5 — undocumented workers have the same wage and hour rights.
2. Labor Commissioner does NOT ask about, and does NOT report, immigration status.
3. SB 497 — retaliation within 90 days = employer presumed guilty.
4. Complaints can be filed anonymously — no ID required.

ASK: None — teach slide. Do not ask "who here is undocumented?" Just deliver the four points cleanly.

WATCH FOR: Visible relief. Some participants will exhale. Acknowledge with a small nod, no big deal of it. Phones out for photos = strong signal this slide matters. Slow down here.

IF SHORT: Never skip this slide. If behind pace, cut Slide 5 instead.

STRETCH (advanced): Do NOT use "tell us your experience" — face-threatening on this slide above all others. Instead, after the four points land, add one third-person line: "如果一个朋友担心匿名投诉真的能匿名 — 劳工专员办公室不会向雇主透露投诉人身份,除非投诉人书面同意。" / "If a friend worries whether anonymous really means anonymous — the Labor Commissioner does not disclose the complainant's identity to the employer unless the complainant gives written permission." Don't elaborate; route to the hotline for specifics.

SCAFFOLD (beginner): Read each of the four points slowly in Chinese only first, then point at the bullet on screen. No English on the first pass. After the fourth point, say "记住一句话就够了: 所有工人都有这些权利。" / Repeat-after-me, in chorus if the room wants: "所有工人都有这些权利。" Eyes-on-screen and a nod is full participation here — no speech required.

Slide 7 · Anti-Retaliation · ⏱ 2.5 min

SAY: "雇主不得报复 — 投诉之后不能开除您、减时数、降职、或威胁举报移民身份。" — "After you complain, your boss cannot fire, cut hours, demote, or threaten immigration."

POINT TO: Four bullets: no firing/threats; no immigration threats (§1019 — criminal offense); penalty up to $10,000 per employee; employer proves innocence within 90 days.

ASK: "投诉之后老板说'明天不用来了' — 合法还是违法?" (Illegal. SB 497.)

WATCH FOR: "How can I prove retaliation?" — "法律帮您 — 90天内,雇主必须自证清白。" (Within 90 days, employer proves innocence, not you.)

IF SHORT: Read only the first two bullets + the $10,000 number.

Slide 8 · Scenario 1 — Missing Wages · ⏱ 3 min · Interactive

SAY: "情景练习。读情况,和旁边的人讨论1分钟。"

POINT TO: Paycheck $200 short; boss says "don't worry, next time."

ASK: Pair-share, 1 min. Walk the room.

THEN: Click "揭晓答案":

1. Document everything — pay stubs, schedules, timesheets.
2. Call 833-526-4636 (free, multilingual).
3. Wage theft is illegal — employer pays back wages plus penalties.

WATCH FOR: "I don't have a timesheet." Common. "自己记 — 手机、笔记本都行。加州法律允许工人自己的记录作为证据。" Also mention the 3-year window to file — they may have years of recoverable back wages.

IF SHORT: Skip pair-share; reveal directly. Saves 1.5 min.

STRETCH (advanced): "如果这位朋友的工资单上根本没写工时 — 只写总额 — 该怎么记录?" / "If this friend's paystub doesn't list hours at all — just a lump sum — how should they keep records?" (Answer: daily log on phone or notebook — start date, end date, breaks taken. CA law accepts the worker's own records as evidence when the employer's are missing.) Document-based, third-person.

SCAFFOLD (beginner): Read the scenario in Chinese only. Skip the pair-share — go straight to the reveal. Point to the number 833-526-4636 on the slide and have the room say the number aloud once together. That's the takeaway; English vocabulary on "document everything" isn't necessary if they have the number.

Slide 9 · Scenario 2 — Employer Threats · ⏱ 3 min · Interactive

SAY: "第二个情景 — 真实经常发生。"

POINT TO: You filed a wage complaint; boss threatens to report your immigration status.

ASK: Pair-share, 1 min.

THEN: Reveal: SB 497 — presumed guilty within 90 days. §1019 — threatening immigration is a criminal offense. Report to 833-526-4636 — status NOT asked.

WATCH FOR: Quiet. This hits close. Don't fill the silence. If someone looks like they want to talk privately, let them stay after.

IF SHORT: Skip pair-share.

STRETCH (advanced): "§1019 是刑事条款 — 不是民事。意味着什么?" / "§1019 is a criminal statute, not civil. What does that mean?" (Answer: prosecutors can press charges; the worker doesn't have to sue. But — and this is the point — the worker still calls 833-526-4636 first; the office routes from there. Don't litigate the distinction; route.) Keep entirely third-person; do not invite the room to share whether anyone has been threatened.

SCAFFOLD (beginner): No pair-share. Read the scenario in Chinese only, then read the reveal in Chinese only. Point to 833-526-4636 and say "这一通电话,完全免费,不查身份。" Skip the §1019 / SB 497 legal codes — they're for the QRC, not for participants who are already at language load. If anyone tears up or goes quiet, don't address it from the front. Catch up after.

Slide 10 · Quiz 1 (T/F) · ⏱ 1.5 min · Interactive

SAY: "判断题 1:无证工人不能投诉工资被拖欠 — 对还是错?"

ASK: "举手 — TRUE 对 / FALSE 错?"

THEN: Reveal — FALSE. §1171.5 — all workers, all statuses.

WATCH FOR: Hesitant hands. Many have heard the opposite their whole working life. Affirm firmly: "错误。所有工人都有权投诉,劳工局不问身份。"

Slide 11 · Quiz 2 · ⏱ 1.5 min · Interactive

SAY: "判断题 2:雇主必须为每天超过8小时的工作支付加班费 — 对还是错?"

THEN: Reveal — TRUE. 1.5× after 8/day, 2× after 12/day.

WATCH FOR: "What if I'm salaried?" — depends on exempt/non-exempt classification. Don't decide on the spot. Route: "这种情况要看具体分类 — 打热线问最准确。"

Slide 12 · Quiz 3 · ⏱ 1.5 min · Interactive

SAY: "判断题 3:如果投诉工资问题,老板可以合法解雇你 — 对还是错?"

THEN: Reveal — FALSE. SB 497. Up to $10,000/employee; employer proves innocence within 90 days.

WATCH FOR: A participant who looks like they have a story. Stay open after.

Slide 13 · Quiz 4 · ⏱ 1.5 min · Interactive

SAY: "判断题 4:每工作5小时,有权获得30分钟无薪餐饮休息 — 对还是错?"

THEN: Reveal — TRUE. §512. Missed break = +1 hour of pay owed.

Slide 14 · Resources & Close · ⏱ 2 min

SAY: "记住一个电话号码就够了 — 833-526-4636 — 加州劳工专员。免费,多语言,不查身份。"

POINT TO: Three cards — CA Labor Commissioner 833-526-4636, LA Office of Wage Standards 1-844-924-3752, Bet Tzedek bettzedek.org (free legal, Chinese-speaking staff). Then QR code.

ASK: "今天最让您意外的一件事是什么?" (Take 2–3 answers.)

WATCH FOR: Photos of the QR. Handout requests. Stay 5–10 extra minutes — private questions come now.

STRETCH (advanced): "除了这三个号码,还有哪些资源对自雇/独立承包商更适合?" / "Beyond these three, what resources fit self-employed / independent contractors?" (Answer: Bet Tzedek covers Prop 22 platform cases; AAAJ-LA does broader Asian-American worker advocacy; CSC case management can route to either. Don't classify anyone's employment status on the spot.) Use it as a bridge into §13 Sub-block 3 (CSC opt-in) if you have the time and a clipboard ready.

SCAFFOLD (beginner): Hand the printed Slide-14 handout to each participant individually as you say their seat number (not their name — face-saving). Point at 833-526-4636 on the paper and say "这个号码,存进手机就好。其他的不用记。" / "Just save this number on your phone. You don't need the others." Have the room hold up phones; you read the digits aloud slowly in Mandarin while they tap. One number cold beats three numbers half-remembered.

7 · Interactive Moments

8 · Common Participant Questions

Rule: Never give legal advice. Never analyze a specific employer situation. Always route.

Q1: 现金发薪,这些权利对我有用吗? / I'm paid cash. Do these apply?

Say: "完全适用。现金发薪不影响权利 — 最低工资、加班费、休息、病假全部一样。重要的是自己记录工时。" — "Fully applies. Cash doesn't change anything. Keep your own hour records." Route to: CA Labor Commissioner 833-526-4636.

Q2: 我没有身份,投诉会不会被举报? / I'm undocumented. Will I get reported?

Say: "劳工专员不会问、也不会举报移民身份。§1171.5 保护所有工人。可以匿名投诉。" — "The Labor Commissioner will not ask or report status. §1171.5. Anonymous complaints allowed." Route to: Bet Tzedek (bettzedek.org), AAAJ-LA.

Q3: 工作了5年,工资从来没涨过,可以追讨吗? / Worked there 5 years, never a raise. Can I recover?

Say: "工资追讨有3年时效 — 过去3年的差额都可以追讨。打 833-526-4636,免费帮您算。" — "3-year statute — past 3 years recoverable. Call 833-526-4636." Route to: CA Labor Commissioner; CSC for filing support.

Q4: 老板因为我问加班费要解雇我。怎么办? / Boss threatens to fire me for asking about overtime.

Say: "非常重要 — 投诉之后90天内的报复,法律推定雇主有罪。尽快打 833-526-4636 或联系 Bet Tzedek。结束后我陪您打电话。" — "Critical — retaliation within 90 days is presumed by law. Call 833-526-4636 or Bet Tzedek. I'll stay with you after." Route to: CSC services first, then Labor Commissioner, then Bet Tzedek.

Q5: 没有工资单,怎么证明工时? / No pay stubs. How do I prove hours?

Say: "您自己的记录就是证据 — 手机、笔记本都可以。加州法律允许工人自己保存的工时记录作为证据。" — "Your own records count under CA law. Start today." Route to: CA Labor Commissioner; CSC for organizing records.

Q6: 小公司也要遵守吗? / Do these apply to small businesses?

Say: "基本上都适用 — 最低工资、加班费、休息、SB 497 不分大小。AB 1522 病假也适用于几乎所有雇主。" — "Mostly yes — all core rights apply regardless of size." Route to: CA Labor Commissioner.

Q7: 投诉之后多久能拿到钱? / How long until I get the money?

Say: "通常几个月,有时一年以上。3年时效,越早开始越好。CSC 可以帮您跟进。" — "Usually months, sometimes a year+. Start sooner." Route to: CSC case manager; CA Labor Commissioner.

Q8: 我跑 Uber/外卖,是独立承包商还是员工? / I drive Uber / do delivery. Am I a contractor or an employee?

Say: "这个分类决定您能不能拿加班费、病假、最低工资 — AB 5 改过规则,但 Uber、Lyft、DoorDash 在 Prop 22 之下另算。打热线问最准,或者 Bet Tzedek 可以帮您看具体平台。" — "Classification decides whether you get overtime, sick leave, minimum wage. AB 5 changed the rules, but Uber / Lyft / DoorDash fall under Prop 22 separately. Call the hotline or Bet Tzedek for your specific platform." Route to: CA Labor Commissioner 833-526-4636; Bet Tzedek for platform-specific cases. Do not classify on the spot.

9 · Recovery Plans

Internet fails: Service worker keeps slides loaded after first visit. Use the printed handout for numbers. Skip QR demo; read URL aloud.

Only 3 people: Sit in a circle. Skip pair-shares on 8–9; group discussion instead. Spend saved time on Q&A.

25+ people: Clusters of 4. Mic if available. 1-min signal during pair-shares. Stay 10 extra minutes at the door.

Group is silent: Wait 7 seconds before re-asking. Use "如果有人…" framing. For Slide 6 (status), silence is normal and good — don't try to fill it.

One participant dominates: "好的,谢谢分享。我们听听其他人的看法。" Walk toward another part of the room.

Someone tells you a specific employer situation: Do NOT analyze. Do NOT say "that sounds like wage theft." DO say: "这种情况最好直接告诉劳工专员 — 833-526-4636,免费,不查身份。结束后我可以陪您打电话。" Follow up through CSC case management.

Running >5 min long at halfway: Cut Slide 5 first. Skip pair-shares on 8–9 (saves 3 min). Skip show-of-hands on 10–13 (saves 2 min).

If you finish early (5 / 10 / 15 min spare):

Don't default to "any questions?" — silence will eat the time, and on a status-adjacent topic, open Q&A can drift into individual situations that don't belong in front of the room. Run one of these instead, matched to your spare-time budget. All three are document-based and third-person — they never ask a participant to reveal their own status, employer, or paystub publicly.

• 5 min spare — Round-the-room one-word check: "用一个词说说,今天最重要的一件事是什么?" / "In one word, what's the most important thing from today?" Take 8–10 quick answers. If someone says "the phone number," nod and repeat 833-526-4636 so the room hears it once more. Closes the loop without dragging.
• 10 min spare — Paystub literacy walk (pair-share rehearsal). Pull out the redacted sample paystub from your folder (or invite participants who happen to have one to look at theirs privately — never collect, never project). Walk the room pointing at fields and naming each in Chinese + English: gross wages 总工资, hours 工时, overtime 加班费, sick balance 病假余额, employer name 雇主名. Then in pairs (1 min): "看这张样本,有没有一项看起来不对?" / "On this sample, what looks off?" Pairs share one observation back. The point is reading the document, not diagnosing anyone's job. See §13 for full instructions.
• 15 min spare — Use the first sub-block of the 60-Min Variant (see §13). Sub-block 1 is the same paystub literacy walk expanded with a second sample document and a more careful debrief — it stands on its own as a hands-on 10-min block plus 5 min of margin.

If a question goes runaway long:

• "好问题。让我先记下来,我们在结束后或者打 833-526-4636 时再深入。" — "Good question. Let me write it down — we'll go deeper after, or when you call 833-526-4636."
• Write it visibly on a whiteboard or paper "parking lot." Move on. For worker-rights, the runaway is almost always a specific employer story — never analyze in front of the room; offer to stay after.

10 · Closing & Next Steps (last 5 min)

SAY: "今天就到这里。三件事:1) 不论身份,不论现金或支票,您都有这些权利 2) 超过8小时1.5倍,超过12小时2倍 3) 一个电话:833-526-4636 — 免费,多语言,不查身份。拿走资料,扫QR码;想约一对一,门口找我。" — "Three things: 1) Regardless of status or cash-or-check, you have these rights 2) 1.5× over 8 hrs, 2× over 12 3) One number: 833-526-4636. Take the handout, scan the QR; for a 1-on-1, see me at the door."

Send them to: Slide deck URL · 833-526-4636 · bettzedek.org · CSC services.

11 · Post-Workshop Tasks (within 24 hours)

• Save the sign-in sheet (scan or photo)
• Note attendance + mood; flag any participant who shared a wage-theft / retaliation situation for CSC follow-up
• For specific situations, log a CSC case management referral — do not record immigration status anywhere
• WeChat "thank you" — include deck URL and 833-526-4636
• Note any unanswered question for the next staff sync (likely: exempt/non-exempt, tip pooling, contractor vs. employee)
• Flag any confusing slide for the next audit pass

12 · Quick Reference Card (print this page)

One sheet. Lectern. Glance during the workshop.

Workshop 05 — Worker Rights · 30 min

Agenda:

1. (slide 1) Welcome + agenda — 1 min
2. (slides 2–5) Wage / overtime / breaks / sick leave — 9.5 min
3. (slides 6–7) Status protections + anti-retaliation — 5.5 min
4. (slides 8–9) Two scenarios + reveal — 6 min
5. (slides 10–13) T/F quiz × 4 — 6 min
6. (slide 14) Resources + close — 2 min

If running long: cut Slide 5 first (§9). Convert pair-shares on 8–9 to "think 30 sec + raise hand if you have a thought" — saves 3 min. Skip the worked-example walks on Slides 3 and 4. Never cut Slide 6 (status protections) — that's the keystone.

If you finish early:

• 5 min spare → round-the-room one-word check ("今天最重要的一件事是什么?")
• 10 min spare → §13 paystub literacy walk (document-based, never personal)
• 15+ min spare → §13 Sub-block 1 (paystub literacy expanded)
• 30+ min spare → full §13 60-Min Variant — paystub walk + private 1:1 worksheet + CSC opt-in

Top 5 questions:

1. "Paid cash — do these apply?" → Yes, fully. Keep your own records.
2. "Undocumented — will I get reported?" → No. §1171.5. Labor Commissioner does not ask status.
3. "Boss threatening to fire me for asking about overtime." → SB 497, 90-day window, 833-526-4636.
4. "No pay stubs — how do I prove hours?" → Your own notebook/phone records count under CA law.
5. "How far back can I claim?" → 3 years (statute of limitations).

Emergency phrases:

• Silence: "如果有人…"
• Redirect: "我们听听其他人的看法。"
• Specific situation: "这种情况最好直接告诉劳工专员 — 833-526-4636,免费,不查身份。"
• Out of scope: "我不是律师 — 这个问题打劳工专员热线,或者 Bet Tzedek。"
• No answer: "好问题。让我跟同事确认,再联系您。"

Numbers cold:

• Min wage: LA City $18.42 · CA $16.90 · Fast Food $20.00 · Federal $7.25 (取最高者适用)
• Overtime: 1.5× over 8/day · 2× over 12/day · 1.5× over 40/week
• Breaks: 30 min meal per 5 hrs · 10 min rest per 4 hrs · +1 hr pay if missed
• One phone: 833-526-4636 — CA Labor Commissioner (free, multilingual, no status check)

Three laws:

• §1171.5 — all workers covered regardless of status
• SB 497 — retaliation within 90 days = employer presumed guilty
• §1019 — threatening immigration action is a criminal offense

Statute of limitations: 3 years to file a wage claim. Tell every participant.

If something breaks:

• WiFi out → SW keeps slides loaded; QR on printed handout
• Projector dies → print and walk slides 2, 6, 14
• Question I can't answer → "我跟同事确认,联系您。" + write it down
• Specific employer situation → DO NOT analyze. Route to 833-526-4636, offer to stay after

Your job: (1) name the rights, (2) universal framing — cash or check, status or no status, rights apply, (3) hand them the phone number. Everything else routes.

13 · 60-Minute Variant (when you have a full hour)

Use this when: Your slot is 60 minutes instead of 30+10, OR you finish the core 30-min teach with significant time remaining, OR the room asks for hands-on practice — usually after Slide 14 when someone says "我想自己看看我的工资单." The variant ADDS 30 min of applied work after the core. It does NOT re-run the same slides.

Don't lecture longer. The 30-min core is calibrated to LEP-adult attention. Extra time goes to PRACTICE — and for worker-rights, "practice" means reading documents, not telling personal stories. Throughout the variant: third-person framing only. Document-based, never personal-status-based. Never collect paper. Never write down anyone's employer name, hours, or status.

Finish-Early Extension (10 min — drop in mid-workshop or at close)

Paystub literacy walk. A hands-on read-the-document activity that reinforces Slides 2 / 3 / 5 without introducing new content. Participants look at a sample paystub (not necessarily their own) and learn to find the fields that matter. No diagnosis, no individual analysis — the question is always "on this document, is what's labeled here what we'd expect?", never "is YOUR boss cheating you?"

• Setup (1 min): "接下来10分钟,我们一起看一张样本工资单 — 不是您的,是个虚构的样本。学会看上面的字,以后回家自己也能看。" — "For the next 10 min we look at one sample paystub together — not yours, a made-up sample. Learn to read it, then you can read your own at home." Hand each pair one printed sample (or hold up your phone showing one). If a participant volunteers their own paystub, gently say "先看样本,等下结束后,如果您愿意,可以一对一跟我看您的。"
• Activity (7 min): Walk the room. On the projector (or held up), point to fields one at a time and say each in zh + en: 1. Employer name 雇主名 — top of stub. 2. Pay period 工资周期 — usually two-week range. 3. Hours worked 工时 — straight + overtime, separately listed. 4. Hourly rate 时薪 — compare to LA City $18.42 / CA $16.90 / Fast Food $20 (whichever applies). 5. Gross wages 总工资 — before deductions. 6. Overtime line 加班费 — should appear separately if any. 7. Sick leave balance 病假余额 — most stubs show hours accrued. 8. Deductions 扣除项目 — taxes, optional benefits. Then pair-share for 90 seconds: "看着这张样本,假设它是一个朋友的 — 有没有一项看起来不太对?" / "Imagine this paystub belongs to a friend. Is there any field that looks off?" Pairs whisper; you walk. Listen for confusion between hours-worked vs hours-paid, missing OT line, no sick-balance shown.
• Debrief (2 min): Ask for 1–2 observations back to the room — keep them about the sample, not anyone's real job. Strong example: "OT line is missing even though hours > 40" → "对 — 那就是要打热线确认的情况。833-526-4636。" Stretch example: "Sick balance is 0 after 6 months." → "也是热线问的问题 — 大多数雇主必须给病假累积。" Close: "回家以后,把今天学的拿出您自己的工资单对一对。看不懂的,带来一对一。"

60-Minute Variant — Applied Block (30 min, added after Slide 14)

A three-sub-block hands-on hour built around reading documents and rehearsing the "call the hotline" routing. Bilingual volunteer roving throughout. No paper collected. No status surfaced. No employer named publicly.

Time: 30 min (35 if you include the 5-min wrap below)

Materials added:

• 10–15 copies of a redacted sample paystub (employer name blacked out; one obvious OT or sick-leave issue baked in). Print or have on phones.
• 10–15 copies of the "My situation worksheet" — bilingual one-pager with 5 prompts (see Sub-block 2). Participants keep these. Never collected. Never photographed.
• A small clipboard or sign-up sheet for the optional CSC case-management opt-in at the end (Sub-block 3). Only name + preferred contact method; no situation details written down.
• The Quick Reference Card showing 833-526-4636 large and visible.

Sub-block 1 — Paystub literacy expanded · ⏱ 10 min

Same as the Finish-Early Extension above, but with a second sample paystub for comparison. Pass out Sample A (clean — all fields present, OT paid correctly, sick balance accruing) and Sample B (broken — OT line missing, sick balance flat at 0, employer name on stub doesn't match the company on a pretend timesheet).

• (3 min) Facilitator walks Sample A field-by-field on the projector. zh first, en second. "这是正常的样子。"
• (5 min) Pairs compare Sample A vs Sample B. Prompt: "两张工资单,有三处不一样。找一找。" / "Two paystubs, three differences. Find them." Bilingual volunteer roves; helps any pair stuck on vocabulary. Hint card on each table: 加班 OT, 病假 sick leave, 雇主名 employer name.
• (2 min) Whole-room reveal: each pair names one difference. Facilitator confirms or gently corrects, ending each with "这类情况,打 833-526-4636 问清楚 — 不查身份,免费。"

Sub-block 2 — "My situation worksheet" (private 1:1) · ⏱ 15 min

A quiet, private writing block. Each participant gets the worksheet and fills it privately, on their own paper, never shown to the room. Facilitator and bilingual volunteer rove 1:1, answering process questions only.

The worksheet has 5 prompts, bilingual, with plenty of write-space:

1. 当前时薪 / Current hourly rate: _____
2. 每周典型工时 / Typical hours per week: _____
3. 加班费 — 您觉得有没有该拿的没拿? / Overtime — anything owed you haven't been paid? ☐ 不确定 not sure ☐ 可能有 maybe ☐ 没有 no
4. 最近一张工资单的日期 / Date of last paystub: _____ (skip if none — that's also a finding)
5. 如果要打 833-526-4636,您想问的第一个问题是什么? / If you called 833-526-4636, what's the first question you'd ask? ________________________________

• Setup (1 min): "接下来15分钟,自己一个人填。不交给任何人。填完是自己带回家的。" — "For the next 15 min you fill this in privately. You don't hand it to anyone. You keep it." Show your own dummy worksheet briefly so people see what "filling it in" looks like. Then sit down.
• Activity (12 min): Silent writing. Volunteers rove slowly. When approached, only answer process questions: "这一栏是什么意思?" → translate. "我没有工资单" → "没关系 — 在第四栏写'没有'就是一个有用的发现。" If anyone tries to show you their numbers and asks "我这种情况算不算被骗?" — do NOT analyze. Say verbatim: "我不是律师,不能在这里判断。但这个问题正好是 833-526-4636 第一通电话问的 — 把它写在第5栏。" Smile, move on.
• Debrief (2 min): Do not ask people to share what they wrote. Instead, ask the meta question: "填的时候,哪一栏最难?" / "Which prompt was hardest to fill in?" 2–3 hands. If "Q3 overtime" or "Q5 the question for the hotline" comes up: "对 — 那正是要打电话的原因。"

Sub-block 3 — Optional CSC case-management opt-in · ⏱ 5 min

A low-pressure signup. Some participants finished Sub-block 2 with a real question and want a human to walk them through the hotline call — that's exactly what CSC case management does. Opt-in, never opt-out. No status questions on the form.

• (1 min) Facilitator: "如果您想让CSC帮您打那通电话 — 一起准备、一起拨、一起翻译 — 在这边签个名,留个联系方式。完全自愿,完全免费。不需要告诉我们任何情况,只需要名字和联系方式。" — "If you'd like CSC to help you make that phone call — prep together, dial together, translate together — sign here with a way to reach you. Voluntary. Free. We don't need details, just a name and contact."
• (3 min) Clipboard or sign-up sheet circulates. Two columns only: 姓名 Name / 联系方式 (微信/电话/email) Contact. Bilingual volunteer holds the clipboard near the back so signup is private. Participants who don't want to sign just hand it on.
• (1 min) Close: "今天没签名也没关系 — 想约一对一,门口找我,或者直接打 833-526-4636。"

Close (5 min, optional — if you have 65 min total): Round-robin one line from each participant — "这周我打算做的一件事" / "One thing I plan to do this week." Could be "把工资单找出来看一看" / "find my paystubs and look at them," or "把电话号码存进手机" / "save the phone number." Affirm each briefly; don't probe.

When to use what — quick rules

Differentiation in the variant

• For advanced learners (e.g., someone who already knows their rights and works in HR-adjacent roles or has filed before): Run Sub-block 1 with both samples but skip the facilitator walk-through — go straight to the pair compare. Then offer them the role of "anchor partner" in Sub-block 2 if they sit next to a beginner. Their stretch is the Sub-block 3 conversation: "如果想知道CSC怎么帮人准备热线电话,我可以在结束后跟您细讲。"
• For mixed-proficiency rooms (the common case): Sub-block 1 pairs an advanced participant with a beginner — advanced reads the English labels aloud, beginner reads the Chinese. Sub-block 2 is private regardless — proficiency doesn't matter when you're writing for yourself. Bilingual volunteer prioritizes Mandarin-only participants during the 1:1 rove.
• For beginner-heavy rooms: Expand Sub-block 1 to 15 min, shrink Sub-block 2 to 10 min, keep Sub-block 3 at 5 min. In Sub-block 1, read every field aloud in Chinese first before pairs work. In Sub-block 2, simplify the worksheet to 3 prompts (current rate, typical hours, one question for the hotline) instead of 5. Point to the number on the card is enough engagement — don't require speech from anyone who isn't volunteering it.

Routing & boundary

Same rules as the 30-min core: no legal, tax, immigration, or medical advice. The variant is hands-on but the hands are on documents, not on cases. Throughout:

• Never analyze a specific employer situation in front of the room.
• Never write down a participant's employer name, immigration status, hours, or wage numbers — not on the worksheet you keep, not on the sign-up sheet, not in your notes after.
• Never ask "do YOU have…" — always "if someone…" or "on this sample…"
• The worksheet belongs to the participant. Never collect. Never photograph. Never review someone else's.
• Every specific situation routes to 833-526-4636 (CA Labor Commissioner, free, multilingual, no status check), Bet Tzedek, or CSC case management.

Your job in the variant is the same as in the core: name the right, point to the document field where it shows up, hand them the phone number. Everything else routes.

14 · Flashcards & Activities · 随身卡片与活动

There is a 6-card take-home deck for this workshop — vocabulary, a dialogue, a fact sheet, tips, useful info, and a diagram. 这个工作坊有一套 6 张随身卡片:关键词、对话、数据、小贴士、有用信息、图示。

Print 打印: 打开卡片 Open the deck · 直接打印 Print now. Prints 2 cards per landscape sheet (3 sheets per deck). Print one deck per participant, plus 1–2 spare decks for games; cut along the dashed lines. 每人一套,另备 1–2 套做游戏用。

Hand them out at the close (§10) — the deck is the take-home companion to the written action plan. 在结尾(第 10 节)发给大家,和写下的行动计划一起带回家。

Best-fit activities for THIS workshop (full menu of 8 at the flashcards page) · 这个工作坊最适合的两个活动(完整 8 个活动见卡片页):

1. 真的假的 · True or False (数据卡 facts · 2–3 分钟) — 讲师读句子(有对有错),对的举手,翻卡核对 — 和 slide 7 的投票一样。 Facilitator reads true/false statements; hands up for true; check the fact card (same format as the slide-7 quiz).
2. 你会打给谁? · Who Would You Call? (有用信息卡 resources · 2–3 分钟) — 讲师给一个真实情景,大家指出该找卡上哪个资源、打哪个电话。 Facilitator reads a real scenario; participants point to the right resource on the card.

Always close with · 收尾必做 — 带走一张 Keep One Card (whole deck 整套 · 2 min): each participant picks the ONE card most useful to them right now and tells a neighbor why. 每人选一张对自己最有用的卡,告诉旁边的人为什么 — 给他们一个具体的、带得走的东西。