Continued on next page

Voice of the FieldsCalifornia

T A X S E A S O N Start Filing Your Taxes NowIt is never too early to start thinking about your taxes. Going

into tax season prepared can help you save time and money. The Federal and California tax

deadline is Monday April 18, 2016. It is important that you file your taxes by the deadline. If you owe money to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the federal agency that collects taxes in the U.S., and if you file your taxes late, you can be penalized 5-25% for every month your return is late.

Before filing, your employer will give you a W-2 form on or before Janu-ary 31st. Your W-2 tells you how much money you earned and how much taxes you paid in 2015. Make sure you receive a W-2 form from each employer you worked for in 2015. If you do not receive your W-2 form(s) you should contact your employer or former em-ployer to see if and when they mailed your W-2. If your former employer has gone out of business it is recommend-ed you contact the nearest bankruptcy court. You may also use your paycheck stubs to obtain a W-2. In order to ob-tain your W-2 with your paystubs visit www.ftb.ca.gov and complete a Sub-stitute Withholding Statement (FTB 3525 Form), which you will attach to your California return when you file.

Use the information provided on the W-2 when filing your taxes. In addition, if you received government assistance, such as unemployment or disability insurance in 2015, you will need to include the amount you were given on your tax forms. If this situ-ation applies to you, you will receive financial information in the mail from the State of California. Each person’s tax situation is different, so in order to make sure you have included all of the appropriate financial information or documents it is best to seek outside advice from trusted organizations, such as the IRS or IRS-recommended programs. There are various resources that offer free assistance in both Span-ish and English, but it is important you verify the legitimacy of the organiza-tion before providing them with any personal information.

The IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA)The VITA Program provides free tax help to people who make $54,000 or less, have disabilities, are over 60 years of age, or have limited English language skills. VITA provides free

F A R M L A B O R I N F O R M A T I O N B U L L E T I N

January 2016 FREE Volume 26, Number 1

basic income tax return preparation. The VITA sites are generally located at community and neighborhood centers, libraries, churches, schools, shopping malls, and other convenient locations. To find a site near you, call 1 (800) 906-9887.

Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE)The TCE Program offers free tax help for all, with priority assistance given to people who are 60 years of age and older. TCE specializes in questions and issues that are unique to retired indi-viduals. To find a TCE center near you, call 1 (888) 227-7669.

Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)The EITC is a new refundable tax credit that puts money back in the pockets of California’s working families and indi-viduals. If you owe taxes, the Cal EITC reduces the amount of taxes you owe and may allow you to receive a refund after filing taxes. If you do not owe any taxes, the Cal EITC tax credit will give you a tax refund upon filing taxes.Who can claim EITC?

Low to moderate-income filers may be eligible for the Earned Income Tax Credit. Specifically, this credit is available to California households

Taxes Continued from previous page

with adjusted gross incomes of less than $6,580 if there are no qualifying dependents, less than $9,880 if there is one qualifying dependent, or less than $13,870 if there are two or more qualifying dependents.

If you meet all of the following re-quirements, you qualify for Cal EITC:

gross income below the amounts listed above

-ing children each have a valid social security number

filing separately” filing status

more than half of the tax yearHow do I claim EITC?

You will need to file a California in-come tax return and complete an FTB 3514, Earned Income Tax Credit form (FTB 3514 Instructions). In order to obtain the form visit www.ftb.ca.gov.Places that help file EITC?

No cost: Trained community vol-unteers can help you prepare your return and decide if you qualify for the Cal EITC and other refundable credits. To find a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) locations vis-

in the upper left hand corner. Fee based: For additional informa-tion on selecting a tax preparer go to www.irs.gov a tax professional.”

City Street Address Days / Hours of Service Telephone

Bakersfield 4825 Coffee Rd, Bakersfield, CA 93308 M–F / 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. (661) 632-2799

Camarillo 751 Daily Dr, Camarillo, CA 93010 M–F / 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. (805) 445-4771

Chico 1395 Ridgewood Dr, Chico, CA 95973 M–F / 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.* (530) 343-2324

El Centro 2345 S. Second St, El Centro, CA 92243 M–F / 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. (760) 592-2085

El Monte 9350 East Flair Dr, El Monte, CA 91731 M–F / 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. (626) 927-1201

Fresno 2525 Capitol St, Fresno, CA 93721 M–F / 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. (559) 444-2044

Laguna Niguel 24000 Avila Rd, Laguna Niguel, CA 92677 M–F / 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. (949) 389-4002

Long Beach 501 W. Ocean Blvd, Long Beach, CA 90802 M–F / 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. (562) 491-7751

Los Angeles 300 N. Los Angeles St, Los Angeles, CA 90012 M–F / 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. (213) 576-3009

Modesto 1700 Standiford Ave, Modesto, CA 95350 M–F / 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. (209) 900-6760

Oakland 1301 Clay St, Oakland, CA 94612 M–F / 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. (510) 907-5000

Palm Springs 556 S. Paseo Dorotea, Palm Springs, CA 92264 M–F / 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.** (760) 866-6125

Redding 850 Industrial St, Redding, CA 96002 M–F / 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.* (530) 224-0695

Sacramento 4330 Watt Ave, Sacramento, CA 95821 M–F / 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. (916) 974-5225

Salinas 928 East Blanco Rd, Ste. 121, Salinas, CA 93901 M–F / 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. (831) 753-6895

San Bernardino 290 N. D St, San Bernardino, CA 92401 M–F / 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. (909) 388-8108

San Diego 880 Front St, San Diego, CA 92101 M–F / 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. (619) 615-9555

San Francisco 450 Golden Gate Ave, San Francisco, CA 94102 M–F / 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. (415) 553-8990

San Jose 55 S. Market St, Suite 100, San Jose, CA 95113 M–F / 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. (408) 283-1569

San Marcos 1 Civic Center Dr, San Marcos, CA 92069 M–F / 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.*** (760) 736-7355

Santa Ana 801 Civic Center Drive W, Santa Ana, CA 92701 M–F / 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. (714) 347-9204

Santa Barbara 1332 Anacapa St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101 M–F / 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.* (805) 564-7555

Santa Maria 2384 Professional Pkwy, Santa Maria, CA 93455 M–F / 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.** (805) 352-0355

Santa Rosa 777 Sonoma Ave, Santa Rosa, CA 95404 M–F / 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. (707) 535-3859

Stockton 4643 Quail Lakes Dr, Stockton, CA 95207 M–F / 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. (209) 476-7501

Van Nuys 6230 Van Nuys Blvd, Van Nuys, CA 91401 M–F / 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. (818) 779-3625

Visalia 5300 W. Tulare St, Visalia, CA 93277 M–F / 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.* (559) 265-4109

Walnut Creek 185 Lennon Ln, Walnut Creek, CA 94598 M–F / 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. (925) 974-3898

*Closed for lunch 12:30 p.m.–1:30 p.m. daily **Closed for lunch 1:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m. daily ***Closed for lunch 12:30 p.m.–1:30 p.m. 1/4–4/29 only

Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.) or contact your local IRS office. Listed above are the contacts for California IRS offices.

For more information about filing your 2015 tax return visit www.irs.gov or call 1 (800) 829-1040 (Monday through

Continued on next page

P R O T E C T Y O U R S E L F Avoid Tax Scams

In addition to being the federal agency that collects taxes in the U.S., the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) also works to protect consumers against scams. Often, individuals and organizations will pose as the

IRS in an effort to steal personal and financial information. The IRS has issued several consumer warnings about the fraudulent use of the IRS name or logo by scammers trying to gain access to consumers’ financial information in order to steal their identity and assets. Scammers will typically use regular mail, telephone, or email to set up their victims.Tax Preparer Phishing Scam

With tax season around the corner it is not uncommon to receive a scam email from individuals posing to be a tax preparer. When identity theft takes place over the Internet via email, it is referred

The IRS encourages taxpayers to be vigilant against email scams that use the IRS as a lure. The IRS does not initi-ate contact with taxpayers by email to request personal or financial informa-tion, nor will the IRS contact taxpayers by text message or through any social media channels. The IRS also does not ask for personal identification numbers (PINs), passwords, or any other con-fidential access information for credit cards or financial accounts. Recipients of false IRS emails should not open any attachments or click on any hyperlinks contained within the body of the mes-sage. Clicking on any attachments or links that are planted within a false email claiming to come from the IRS may download a virus onto your computer. Instead of opening the message, forward the e-mail to phishing@irs.gov. For

more information on how to report phishing scams visit www.irs.gov.

IRS-Impersonation Telephone Scam

IRS scams may also occur by phone. Currently, there is a phone scam targeting taxpayers, including recent immigrants, in which callers claim to be employees of the IRS, but are not. These individuals posing to work for the IRS are extremely convincing. They use fake names and false IRS identification badge numbers. They may potentially know personal information about their

Victims are often mislead to believe that they owe money to the IRS and must pay it immediately via a pre-loaded debit card of wire transfer. If the victim refuses to cooperate, they are threatened with deportation, arrest, or suspension of their license. Victims may also be told they have a refund due in an effort to trick them into sharing private financial information.

It is critical to note that the IRS will never do the following:

giving you the opportunity to ques-tion or appeal the amount they say you owe

method

over the phone

groups and have you arrested

through emailIf you receive a phone call from some-

one claiming to be from the IRS, you are advised to take the following steps:

IRS at 1 (800) 829-1040. An IRS employee can then notify you of any outstanding payments or issues.

or know a call was a scam then you should call and report the incident to the Treasure Inspector General for Tax Administration at 1 (800) 366-4484.

FTC Complaint Assistant; choose

the complaint involves someone im-personating the IRS, include the words

The IRS has also noted that taxpayers should be aware of other unrelated scams, such as lottery sweepstakes and solicita-

Continued on last page

Scams Continued from previous page

tions about debit relief that fraudulently claim to be from the IRS. To find out about current IRS scams happening in the U.S. visit www.irs.gov. You may also subscribe to the IRS emailing list to receive scam alerts and tax tips.

Information adapted from www.IRS.gov

Ransom ScamsRansom scams are generally the most

traumatic scams. Ransom scams occur when a scammer lies about holding a prisoner or item hostage in order to extort money.

In 2015, a few Southern California parents fell victim to ransom scams. A stranger had called the parents and said their child was being held hostage, and the stranger threatened to harm or kill the child unless a ransom was paid immediately. The suspect used personal knowledge about the child and told the parents not to call 911. The suspect claimed they were monitoring police scanners and would know if law enforce-ment was notified. The suspect was also using a child decoy to imitate noises and further convince the parents that their child was being held hostage. The victims were then told to withdraw and wire $500-$5,000 to an account.

The caller kept the parents on the phone line until the transactions were successfully completed. Keeping the parents on the phone kept them from verifying that their child was actually missing. Later, the parents learned their child was never kidnapped or harmed in the first place.

Police identified several warning signs

to this possible kidnapping scam:

or an international number, not from the phone of the kidnapped victim.

keep people on the phone line. Authorities recommend in order

to decipher whether or not you are a victim of a ransom scam, ask to speak to the kidnapped victim and listen very carefully to verify whether it is your fam-ily member or not.

Authorities also advise victims not to send money or provide financial infor-mation to an unidentified individual. Above all, officials warn, sending money to scammers without contacting the police risks escalating the scam.

Immigration ScamsUNITED STATES CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION SERVICES

-ing to work for United States Citizen-ship and Immigration Services (USCIS) or other government agencies. Too often scammers will target immigrants and identify false problems with immi-gration records and attempt to charge a correction fee. Phone calls, such as the former, are being made by immigration scammers attempting to take your mon-ey and your credit card information. It is important to note that USCIS will never call you and ask for any form of payment over the phone. If you receive a phone call that you believe is a scam hang up. NOTARIOS PUBLICO

In many Spanish-speaking nations, -

torneys with special legal credentials. In the U.S., however, notary publics

are people appointed by state govern-ments to witness the signing of impor-tant documents and administer oaths.

to provide you with any legal services related to immigration. It is important that you choose the right person to help you when filling immigration forms. In the U.S. notaries cannot formally assist you. Only a licensed attorney can advise you about immigration law and whether

under President Obama’s directive. FALSE WEBSITES AND BUSINESS PROMISES

Some websites offer guidance on how to complete a USCIS application or will claim they are affiliated with USCIS. It is important to note that USCIS has its own website with free download-able forms and instructions. You will never be asked to pay for USCIS forms, regardless if you are receiving them in-person or electronically.

Some businesses may guarantee they can help you obtain a Visa, Green Card, or Employment Authorization

directly with USCIS if you pay a fee. These claims are false. Very rarely are there exceptions to the normal USCIS processing times. HOW TO AVOID IMMIGRATION SCAMS:

a notary. In the U.S. , notaries cannot give you legal advice or talk to gov-ernment agencies for you, like USCIS or the Board of Immigration Appeals.

-mon, never pay for a blank govern-ment form. You can obtain free im-

California’s 2016 Minimum Wage Increase

As of January 1, 2016 a new state law took effect raising the hourly minimum wage from $9 to $10, affecting thousands of low-income California workers. The pay increase brings the total pre-tax earn-

ings for full-time, minimum wage workers to $20,800 a year. The minimum wage increase is a part of a two-part increase that brought the minimum wage to $9 an hour in 2015, and now to $10 an hour in 2016. This gives California the nation’s highest minimum wage, alongside Massachusetts.

Several California cities, including Los Angeles, Oakland, Emeryville, and San Francisco already have a set mini-mum wage above $10 per hour. Mean-while, the national minimum wage sits at $7.25 per hour and has not increased since 2009.

According to California News Service, two separate branches of the Service Employees International Union are pursuing additional minimum wage ballot measures. One measure would raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2020 and obligate employers to pro-vide six paid sick days a year, while the second measure would bring minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2021.

Provided below is additional infor-mation regarding California’s minimum wage increase.

Can an employee agree to work for less than the minimum wage?No, an employee cannot work for less than $10 an hour. The minimum wage is a required obligation of the employer and cannot be waived by an agreement.

Do adults and minors receive the same minimum wage?Yes, the minimum wage is the same for all workers. There is no distinction made be-

tween adults and minors when it comes to work payment.

Can an employer use tips as a credit toward its obligation to pay minimum wage? Although permitted in some states, no. In California an employer may not use an employee’s tips as a credit towards their set wage.

What actions can you take if an em-ployer doesn’t pay minimum wage? If your employer fails to pay you at least $10 an hour you can either file a

Standards Enforcement or file a lawsuit in a court against your employer to recover any lost wages. If you no longer work for the em-ployer, you may still take action and file an ad-ditional claim for the waiting time penalty (Labor Code Section 203).

What is the pro-cedure follow-ing a filed wage claim?

After you have filed a wage claim with a -

-missioner who will examine the claim and further advise you on how to most successfully proceed.

If it is advised that you hold confer-ence, all parties will be notified by mail of the date, time and location of the confer-ence. Conferences will determine if the case should be moved to a court hearing.

If the claim is moved to a hearing both parties will testify under oath and a deci-sion will be made. If a party is unhappy with the hearings decisions, an appeal may be submitted. The matter will then

-ployee may represent an individual who is financially unable to afford counsel.

For additional information on the -

missioner’s Office. Contact information is provided on www.dir.ca.gov.

Information adapted from the State of California Department of Industrial Relations

Image provided by reclaimtheamericandream.org

Above the federal minimum wage

Voice of the Fields

California Circulation: 45,000 copies

www.LaCooperativa.orgPublished monthly by:

La Cooperativa Campesina de California

1107 9th Street, Suite 420, Sacramento, CA 95814 Phone 916.388.2220

Fax 916.388.2425This product was funded by the U.S. Depart-ment of Labor’s Employment and Training Ad-ministration.

The opinions expressed in this product are exclu-sive of the authors and does not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of La-bor. This product is copyrighted by the institution that created it. Internal use by an organization and/or personal use by an individual for non-commer-cial purposes is permissible. All other uses require the prior authorization of the copyright owner.

Content produced by ALZA Strategies, a full-service strategy firm that offers quality media rela-tions, crisis communications, public affairs services, and expertise into the growing Latino market.

Agricultural Jobs available to U.S. workers under H-2A contract

The H-2A temporary agricultural program allows agricultural employers who anticipate a shortage of domestic workers to bring nonimmigrant foreign workers to the U.S. to perform agricultural labor or services of a temporary or seasonal nature. The H-2A employers must demonstrate that qualified U.S. workers are not available for the job and the employment of temporary foreign workers will not adversely affect the wages and working conditions of U.S. workers similarly employed. Preference in hiring will be given to qualified U.S. workers before employers are allowed to bring in foreign workers under the program.

CalJOBS Number

Job Title Pay Rate Contract Dates Positions City of Job Employer’s County

America’sJob Center of California (AJCC)

14642440 Strawberry $11.89 Hr. 3/07/2016 - 6/30/2016

100 Oxnard Ventura Oxnard AJCC (805) 204-5100

14660390 Strawberry $11.89 Hr. 3/20/2016 - 11/30/16

20 Nipomo San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo AJCC ( 805) 903-1400

14660393 Cilantro/Spinach $11.89 Hr. 3/22/2016 - 11/30/2016

30 Santa Maria Santa Barbara Santa Maria AJCC (805) 614-1550

14653304 Strawberry/Raspberry/Blackberry

$11.89 Hr. 3/14/2016 - 7/02/2016

136 Oxnard Ventura Oxnard AJCC (805) 204-5100

13898523 Farmworkers Sheepherder

$1777.98 Mo. on-going 206 California and Western States

California and Western States

Selected AJCCs WSB Offices

migration forms from www.uscis.gov.-

vice from U.S. government websites -

mers set up sites, but they are not

documents, including your passport.

fully understand or has not been fully completed.

you submit.

from USCIS. If you believe you have fallen victim

to an immigration telephone scam, you may report it to the Federal Trade Com-mission (FTC). For additional informa-tion visit www.ftc.gov.

High School Seniors!The Free Application for

Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is now open. Students

interested in financial aid for college must complete

this form. California’s FAFSA deadline is March 2, 2016

by midnight. Although some financial information cannot be completed until

your legal guardians or yourself have filed taxes,

it is not too early to begin the application process. To begin your application now

visit www.fafsa.ed.gov.Verify you are on a “ .gov” site when filling out

personal and financial information.

ScamsContinued from third page ATTENTION