IRS says 940,000 unclaimed tax refunds are about to expire

• March 26, 2024

By Fatima Hussein | Associated Press

WASHINGTON — The IRS is warning taxpayers that they may be leaving more than $1 billion on the table.

The federal tax collector said Monday that roughly 940,000 people in the U.S. have until May 17 to submit tax returns for unclaimed refunds for tax year 2020, which total more than $1 billion nationwide.

The average median refund is $932 for 2020. Texas (93,400), California (88,200), Florida (53,200) and New York (51,400) have the largest amount of people potentially eligible for these refunds.

IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel said in a statement: “We want taxpayers to claim these refunds, but time is running out for people who may have overlooked or forgotten about these refunds. There’s a May 17 deadline to file these returns so taxpayers should start soon to make sure they don’t miss out.”

For people who need to file a return, the IRS advises taxpayers to request their W-2, 1098, 1099 or 5498 from their employer or bank — or order a free wage and income transcript using the “Get Transcript Online” tool at IRS.gov.

Taxpayers typically have three years to file and claim tax refunds, otherwise the money becomes the property of the U.S. Treasury.

Generally the deadline to claim old refunds falls around the April 15 tax deadline, but this year the three-year window for 2020 unfiled returns was postponed to May 17, because of the COVID-19 pandemic. But if taxpayers haven’t filed a return for tax year 2021 and 2022, any 2020 refunds would be withheld until they file for those years as well to make sure they don’t owe.

Werfel said “some people may not realize they may be owed a refund. We encourage people to review their files and start gathering records now, so they don’t run the risk of missing the May deadline.”

Tax season officially began on January 29.

According to the latest tax season statistics, more than 71.5 million individual tax filings have been submitted to the IRS this season.

​ Orange County Register 

Orange County baseball stat leaders through March 23

• March 26, 2024

Support our high school sports coverage by becoming a digital subscriber. Subscribe now

Orange County baseball stat leaders through Saturday, March 23.

To be included, teams must have their stats up to date on the MaxPreps.com leaderboards.

BATTING AVERAGE

Name, school
BA
H
AB

Julian Gonzalez, Santa Ana
.500
12
24

Jesus Ramirez, Buena Park
.481
13
27

Grady Faris, Dana Hills
.476
20
42

Logan Asch, El Modena
.475
19
40

Reed Fry, Pacifica Christian
.474
18
38

Keenan Anzai, Mission Viejo
.474
18
38

Will Morales, Costa Mesa
.474
9
19

Kai Cesare, San Clemente
.458
22
48

Kevin Reyes, Katella
.457
21
46

Tyler Holland, Mission Viejo
.455
10
22

Junior Rizo, Bolsa Grande
.439
18
41

Joshua Gutierrez, Sonora
.438
21
48

Miguel Velazquez, Fullerton
.433
13
30

Evan Tamayo, Irvine
.433
13
30

Trevor Carter, El Dorado
.429
6
14

Zach Lopez La Habra
.429
5
14

Cole Lefebvre, Estancia
.429
21
49

George De Avila, Buena Park
.417
10
24

Zack Bretza, Segerstrom
.417
10
24

Ethan Pardo, Rancho Alamitos
.415
17
41

Gabe Fraser, Orange Lutheran
.414
12
29

Cohen Gomez, Canyon
.412
14
34

Adan Magallanez, Godinez
.410
16
39

Owen Dever, Costa Mesa
.409
9
22

Vander Ploog, Troy
.407
11
27

Adrian Perez, El Modena
.405
17
42

Andrew Mits, Estancia
.404
19
47

Brandon Tatch, Aliso Niguel
.404
19
47

Sawyer Atkinson, Estancia
.400
18
45

Shayan Eldridge, University
.400
14
35

RUNS BATTED IN

Name, school
RBI
PA
GP

Reed Fry, Pacifica Christian
17
46
14

Sawyer Atkinson, Estancia
16
56
16

Brandon Tatch, Aliso Niguel
15
50
14

John Coopman, Pacifica Christian
15
44
13

Aiden Comte, Costa Mesa
14
56
16

Jude Dravecky, Pacifica Christian
14
44
14

Adan Magallanez, Godinez
14
42
11

Cole Lefebvre, Estancia
13
60
16

Nate Baughman, Yorba Linda
13
53
16

Rylan Morris, Sunny Hills
12
57
14

Andrew Gandara, La Habra
12
45
15

Christian Tafua, El Modena
12
50
15

Grady Jackson, Costa Mesa
12
61
16

Bennett Molica, Estancia
12
51
15

Austen Barnett, University
12
46
12

Garrett Allen, Yorba Linda
11
58
17

Riley Witte, Estancia
11
58
16

Scout Escobedo, Pacifica Christian
11
30
8

Brock DellaVedova, San Clemente
11
53
15

Izaiah Posada, La Habra
11
48
15

RUNS

Name, school
R
PA
GP

Blake Hayes, Pacifica Christian
20
51
14

John Uchytil, Costa Mesa
20
67
16

Spencer Carty, La Habra
18
58
17

Wylan Rottschafer, Costa Mesa
18
67
16

Omar Gutierrez, Costa Mesa
17
65
16

Jonathan Nadolski, Aliso Niguel
17
53
14

Ethan Pardo, Rancho Alamitos
17
51
13

Jake Humphries, Estancia
16
67
16

Cole Lefebvre, Estancia
15
60
16

Bobby Fiero, La Habra
14
61
17

Grady Jackson, Costa Mesa
14
61
16

Luke Miller, Pacifica Christian
14
48
14

John Coopman, Pacifica Christian
14
44
13

Aiden Comte, Costa Mesa
14
56
16

Keenan Anzai, Mission Viejo
13
41
13

Derek Curiel, Orange Lutheran
12
47
13

Miguel Velazquez, Fullerton
12
41
11

Joshua Garza, Yorba Linda
12
63
17

Owen Smith, Yorba Linda
12
45
17

Heath Carlson, Capo Valley Chr.
12
44
14

Andrew Mits, Estancia
12
58
16

Kevin Reyes, Katella
12
57
14

Nico Lopez, Troy
12
56
15

Jesus Ramirez, Buena Park
12
34
13

John Peterson, Pacifica Christian
12
47
14

Scout Escobedo, Pacific Christian
12
30
8

EARNED-RUN AVERAGE

Name, school
ERA
IP
ER

Jake Nobles, Villa Park
0.00
15.0
0

Izeah Reyes, Buena Park
0.00
15.0
0

Evan Tamayo, Irvine
0.00
15.0
0

Peter Mellana, Sunny Hills
0.00
12.1
0

Adam Ujiie, Foothill
0.00
11.0
0

Andrew Mits, Estancia
0.19
36.2
1

Nic Park, Laguna Hills
0.28
24.2
1

Nick Santivanez, El Modena
0.35
20.0
1

Will Clark, Costa Mesa
0.47
30.0
2

Aaron Sambath, Villa Park
0.47
29.2
2

Justin Timms, Villa Park
0.50
28.0
2

Jon Stone, Pacifica Christian
0.50
14.0
1

Ross Clark, Orange Lutheran
0.50
14.0
1

Alejandro Tinoco, Katella
0.50
14.0
1

Manuel Rivera, Buena Park
0.53
39.1
3

Brandon Schaff, Aliso Niguel
0.55
12.2
1

Nicholas Murrey, Marina
0.56
25.0
2

Ethan Kim, Irvine
0.57
12.1
1

Grady Jackson, Costa Mesa
0.58
24.0
2

Keegan Demots, Pacifica Christian
0.58
12.0
1

Hunter Harrington, Laguna Beach
0.60
11.2
1

Eddie Acitia, Fullerton
0.67
21.0
2

Jack Bretza, Segerstrom
0.68
20.2
2

Mike Erspamer, San Clemente
0.75
28.0
3

Rodrigo Rivera, Segerstrom
0.77
27.1
3

STRIKEOUTS

Name, school
K
BF
IP

Andrew Mits, Estancia
59
138
36.2

Landon Martin, Sonora
49
161
41.0

Becker Sybirski, Laguna Beach
44
160
39.1

Manuel Rivera, Buena Park
42
150
39.1

Alan Vargas, Bolsa Grande
40
139
33.0

Aidan Alvarez, Yorba Linda
39
162
40.0

Mike Erspamer, San Clemente
38
105
28.0

AJ Frausto, El Dorado
37
110
26.0

Romeo Montes De Oca, Bolsa Grde
37
125
24.2

Zack Bretza, Segerstrom
37
88
20.2

Darren Woo, Troy
36
142
33.2

Andrew Johnson, Capo Valley Chr.
36
112
26.1

Nolan Owens, Kennedy
34
77
31.0

Rodrigo Rivera, Segerstrom
34
109
27.1

Nick Santivanez, El Modena
33
80
20.0

Jared Day, La Habra
33
123
29.2

Vincent De Marco, Woodbridge
33
117
28.2

Cooper Berger, University
32
87
24.0

Mark Aguilar, Godinez
32
121
26.0

Justin Tims, Villa Park
30
101
28.0

Cooper Hahn, Mission Viejo
29
94
21.2

Nicholas Moreno, Katella
29
109
25.1

Henry Garcia, Rancho Alamitos
29
152
32.0

​ Orange County Register 

Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani says he never bet on sports, interpreter Ippei Mizuhara stole money, told lies

• March 26, 2024

LOS ANGELES — Speaking for the first time since he has been embroiled in an alleged $4.5 million fraud potentially tied to gambling, Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani said on Monday that he has never participated in sports betting or knowingly paid any gambling debts accumulated by his longtime interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara.

Instead, Ohtani says his close friend engaged in a scheme of lies that went on for years, with the two-time American League MVP unaware funds from his account were being drained to satisfy a massive gambling debt until after Mizuhara told members of the team he had a gambling problem.

Ohtani took a seat in front of the assembled media with Will Ireton, who is serving as his new interpreter. Ireton has been a Dodgers employee since 2016 after first serving as an interpreter for former Dodgers pitcher Kenta Maeda.

“I have not bet on (anything), or never have asked somebody to (bet on sports events) on my behalf,” Ohtani said. “And I have never gone through a bookmaker to bet on sports.”

The gambling controversy surfaced last week when the Dodgers were in South Korea and about to face the San Diego Padres in the second game of the regular season. The Los Angeles Times and ESPN reported that Ohtani’s representatives accused Mizuhara of draining funds from Ohtani’s personal bank account in a scheme tied to a Southern California bookmaker.

Ohtani, who spent the first six seasons of his MLB career with the Angels, signed a record-setting 10-year, $700-million contract with the Dodgers in the offseason. He had not spoken publicly on the issue until Monday, saying that he asked authorities to look into the matter and is participating fully with the investigation. MLB announced Friday that it had launched its own investigation.

Wearing a Dodgers cap and sweatshirt while sitting in front of approximately 100 media members in a cramped interview room beneath the third base stands that is normally reserved for postgame press conferences, Ohtani read quickly in Japanese from a prepared document, while speaking in an assured manner and keeping his face to the assembled mass for much of the session. He did not take questions.

“First of all, thank you very much for coming; I wanted to be here today to be able to talk,” Ohtani said at the outset. “I’m sure it was very tough, it’s been a tough week for fans, and team officials, and I’m very grateful that the media has been patient in this process. Just on a personal note, I’m very saddened and shocked that someone who I entrusted has done this.”

While not addressing how such a massive amount of money was drained from his account without being noticed, Ohtani admitted that there are some details, “that I am limited in being able to talk about.”

The IRS has confirmed that Mizuhara and Mathew Bowyer, the alleged illegal bookmaker, are under criminal investigation through the agency’s Los Angeles Field Office.

In direct fashion, Ohtani said he has been betrayed by his friend and former confidant.

“Ippei has been stealing money from my account and has told lies,” Ohtani said.

Ohtani said he was made aware of a connection to sports betting when media members began asking him about it while the team was in South Korea.

“Ippei never revealed to me that there was this media inquiry and to the representatives of my camp. … Ippei told to the media and to my representatives that I, on behalf of a friend, paid off debt,” Ohtani said. “Upon further questioning it was revealed that it was actually in fact, Ippei who was in debt.

“This – all of this – has been a complete lie.”

After the Dodgers’ victory over the Padres at South Korea on Wednesday, Mizuhara reportedly addressed the team as details about his debt began to emerge. Ohtani said he was present at the time but was without an interpreter as Mizuhara spoke in English.

“… But even with that, I kind of understood what was going on and started to feel that there was something amiss,” Ohtani said.

Related Articles

Ohtani and Mizuhara met together at the team hotel later that evening.

“So up until that team meeting, I didn’t know that Ippei had a gambling addiction and was in debt,” Ohtani said. “And that obviously at that point, obviously, I did not never agree to pay off the debt or make payments to the book maker.

“And finally, when we went back to the hotel and talked one-to-one, that’s when I found out he had a massive debt. And it was revealed to me during that meeting that Ippei was sending money, using my account, to the bookmaker.”

“To summarize how I am feeling right now, I am just beyond shocked. It is really hard to verbalize how I am feeling at this point. The season is going to start, so I am going to let my lawyers handle matters from here on out. I am completely assisting in all investigations the tare taking place right now.”

Ohtani drove in a run in each of the first two games of the season and had three hits in 10 at-bats during the series against the Padres. He was in the Dodgers’ lineup for Monday’s Freeway Series game against the Angels and batting second as the designated hitter.

“I do want to make it clear that I never bet on sports or have willfully sent money to the bookmaker… I’m just beyond shocked. It’s hard to verbalize how I’m feeling at this point.” – Shohei Ohtani pic.twitter.com/itf1BuAkbv

— SportsNet LA (@SportsNetLA) March 25, 2024

Shohei Ohtani addresses the media regarding Ippei Mizuhara and the recent gambling allegations. pic.twitter.com/tioSqvkPvn

— SportsNet LA (@SportsNetLA) March 25, 2024

​ Orange County Register 

OC Health Care Agency names new director, Dr. Veronica Kelley

• March 26, 2024

The OC Health Care Agency announced its new director, Dr. Veronica Kelley, has been promoted from her role as chair of the agency’s behavioral health division.

Former director Dr. Clayton Chau left the post as of last June.

“The county of Orange and I are very excited that Dr. Kelley will be stepping into the director role at the HCA,” CEO Frank Kim said in a statement. “Dr. Kelley has demonstrated tremendous leadership strength in her role as chief of behavioral health services and navigated extraordinary transitional times in the mental health and recovery care landscape.”

Kelley has been leading the county’s behavioral health services since December 2021.

She has more than 33 years of experience in the behavioral health field and has been a licensed clinical social worker for nearly 25 years, according to the county’s announcement Monday, March 25. Her career started at the Health Care Agency in 1999, in the behavioral health department, before she left for San Bernardino County where she spent 13 years with its Department of Behavioral Health, including six years as its director.

Since rejoining the HCA, the county’s announcement said Kelley has been responsible for reorganizing the department to help better prepare Orange County for addressing behavioral health changes, including changes to Medi-Cal. She also helped collaborate with local law enforcement to divert mental health and homeless calls from public safety responders to mental health workers.

Kelley’s promotion to director of the Health Care Agency was effective March 22.

​ Orange County Register 

LeBron James doubtful for Lakers’ trip opener against Bucks

• March 26, 2024

LOS ANGELES — The Lakers’ six-game road trip has already gotten off to a less-than-ideal start.

Star forward LeBron James is doubtful to play in Tuesday night’s game against the Milwaukee Bucks because of the left ankle peroneal tendinopathy that he’s dealt with for the last few months, the team announced on Monday.

If James sits out Tuesday, it will be the 10th game he has missed this season. The Lakers are 5-4 in games without the four-time league MVP this season, including a 123-122 home win over the Bucks on March 8.

D’Angelo Russell, who didn’t play in Sunday’s 150-145 home win against the Indiana Pacers because of a non-COVID illness, wasn’t listed on the injury report for Tuesday and is expected to be available.

James, 39, played 38 minutes in the victory over the Pacers, finishing with 26 points (8-for-19 shooting), 10 assists and five rebounds.

“It’s a day-to-day process,” James said of his ankle after Friday’s home win against the Philadelphia 76ers. “Every day I’m working on it, working at it, continue to make that priority No. 1 going down the stretch of the season.”

The Lakers are entering this trip as the ninth-place team in the Western Conference standings with a 39-32 record, the first time they’ve been at least seven games over .500 since the end of the 2020-21 season. They have 11 games left in the regular season.

“We know where we are right now,” James said. “Just continue trying to play some good basketball. That’s a very testy road trip for us.

“It’s very rare, I can’t remember in my career where I’ve had such a late East Coast road trip or vice versa when I was in the East to go to the West so late in the season, so that’s challenging. But we’re looking forward to it.”

The Lakers enter the trip, which continues on Wednesday against the Memphis Grizzlies, winners of 15 of their past 22 games, including their last three.

Their recent success has kept them from falling below No. 10 in the standings, with the 10th-seeded Golden State Warriors and 11th-seeded Houston Rockets entering Monday’s schedule 2½ and 3½ games behind the Lakers, respectively.

But the Lakers also haven’t been able to make a jump in the standings either, staying 2½ games behind the Sacramento Kings and Dallas Mavericks, who entered Monday tied and occupying the seventh and eighth seeds.

“A little,” Anthony Davis responded when asked how much he watches the standings. “I mean, it’s everywhere right now. But for us, just try to control what we can control and that’s winning one game at a time.

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“Obviously we try to figure out how far we are behind the sixth seed, but you stress yourself out putting too much pressure on yourself when you are constantly looking at it. But we’re ninth right now, so we just got to continue to play our style of basketball and focus on us and taking it one game at a time and worrying about winning that game. And if we continuously do that, then the rest will take care of itself.”

PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Davis on Monday was named the Western Conference Player of the Week for games played from March 18-Sunday.

It was the first time Davis received the award this season and the 10th weekly honor of his career.

Davis led the Lakers to a 3-0 record in last week’s games, averaging 27 points (68.6% shooting%) 16.7 rebounds, 4.3 assists, two blocked shots and 1.3 steals.

LAKERS AT BUCKS

When: Tuesday, 4:30 p.m. PT

Where: Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee

TV/radio: TNT/710 AM

​ Orange County Register 

Holocaust survivors honored with rarely given USC Medallion

• March 26, 2024

Los Angeles County resident Celina Biniaz is a Holocaust survivor. She is one of the last living survivors who was on the real-life Oskar Schindler’s list. More than 1,000 Polish families’ stories, including hers, were told in Steven Spielberg’s film “Schindler’s List.”

Biniaz was symbolically presented with a University Medallion on behalf of all the survivors who have entrusted their testimonies to USC’s Shoah Foundation, which has an archive of more than 50,000 testimonies from Holocaust survivors and witnesses.

More than 30 Holocaust survivors and around 260 participants attended the event on Monday, March 25 at USC.

Biniaz received a standing ovation ahead of her speech.

“Oskar Schindler saved my life,” she said. “Fifty years later, Steven gave me back my voice.”

For many years, Biniaz said she didn’t talk about being a Holocaust survivor because she didn’t want to relive her trauma, but seeing “Schindler’s List” changed her mind.

“I believe that personal experiences can inspire others to value human beings,” Biniaz said during her speech. “Today, we’re living in a world that is shaken by tremendous divisions and horrible violence.”

USC President Carol Folt presented the medallion for all Holocaust survivors to Biniaz. This award is considered one of the university’s highest honors and has only been given out three other times, according to USC officials.

“We must make sure that the stories of the Holocaust are never forgotten, that the voices would never be silenced,” Folt said as she presented the award.

Thirty years ago, Spielberg founded the Shoah Foundation after being inspired by survivor stories he heard while making his film about a German who saved more than 1,000 Polish families during World War II.

“We see every day how the machinery of extremism is being used on college campuses where now 50% of students say they have experienced some discrimination because they are Jewish,” Speilberg said. “This is also happening alongside anti-Muslim, Arab and Sikh discrimination. The creation of the ‘other’ and dehumanization of any group based on their differences, are the foundations of fascism.”

Los Angeles resident Rochelle Brenner, whose mother Deborah survived the Holocaust by posing as a Russian child and hiding with a Russian family, said she is glad to see her mother’s history being honored.

“I’m amazed by her because had I been in her shoes, I don’t know if I would have survived five seconds,” Brenner said. “I don’t know if I have the strands, because she had so many near misses.”

One near-miss Deborah Brenner had was so close that she was bouncing on a Nazi’s lap. She said the man was saying how cute Brenner was moments after talking about how many Jews he had killed.

“My heart was pounding so hard, I thought he’d hear it,” Deborah, 86, said.

Survivors, like Brenner, were asked to stand as Biniaz was presented with the award, while audience members clapped.

USC will be a caregiver of the Medallion and a plaque honoring survivors will be coming to the campus in the future, according to Robert Williams, the Shoah Foundation’s executive director.

Los Angeles resident Joseph Alexander is a Holocaust survivor who was sent to seven concentration camps over the course of five years.

One of the last camps he was at was Auschwitz-Birkenau.

Alexander, 101, said that upon entering Auschwitz-Birkenau, he was originally assigned to a line on the left, with sick people, children and elderly people.

“I snuck back to the other side when the Nazi turned away,” he said. “If I didn’t move back to the right, I wouldn’t be here talking to you.”

He said the people in the left line later went straight into gas chambers.

He was 19 at the time and 15 when he first entered a Nazi-controlled camp.

Alexander said he still shares his experience with the Holocaust in hopes of reaching the next generation.

“I spoke to hundreds of thousands of kids at high schools and many have never heard about the Holocaust,” Alexander said. “Those of us left, we have to spread the stories and let them know what happened.”

Last summer, the foundation sent USC students on a trip to Auschwitz, where Folt said one of the students found their family’s name in a book of victims’ names.

“It’s a chance for the students to understand that survival can lead to a rebirth of life and the return of a rich history between different communities even in countries that were so destroyed by Nazi Germany,” Williams said.

Other speakers at the event included Spielberg, Joel Citron, who is the son of Holocaust survivors and a panel discussion with USC student-athlete Rae-Anne Serville and Holocaust survivor and two-time Olympian Shaul Ladany.

Ladany, 88, also emphasized the need for the history of the Holocaust to continue to be taught and documented.

“I believe the story of the Holocaust should be told in order to educate the public in order for such an awful situation like the Holocaust to not repeat itself again,” he said. “The roots of it should be told to everyone, every place, and therefore, I’m happy to tell it and to try to educate people about it.”

Before leaving the stage, Spielberg had a reminder for all attendees.

“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it,” he said.

​ Orange County Register 

Orange County scores and player stats for Monday, March 25

• March 26, 2024

Support our high school sports coverage by becoming a digital subscriber. Subscribe now

Scores and stats from Orange County games on Monday, March 25

Click here for details about sending your team’s scores and stats to the Register.

The deadline for submitting information is 10:45 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 p.m. Saturday.

MONDAY’S SCORES

BASEBALL

ANAHEIM LIONS TOURNAMENT

Spanish Springs (NV) 5, Katella 2

Canyon Springs 6, Oxford Academy 0

Columbia (ID) 5, Anaheim 1

Putnam (OR) 3, Kennedy 2

Crean Lutheran 10, Reed (NV) 0

Valencia 2, Montclair 1

SOFTBALL

WOODBRIDGE ALAN DUGARD CLASSIC

Fountain Valley 11, Long Beach Wilson 3

Aliso Niguel 4, Rosary 0

SAN JOAQUIN LEAGUE

Capistrano Valley Christian 14, Samueli Academy 0

NONLEAGUE

Valencia 11, Anaheim 0

Segerstrom 10, Calvary Chapel 0

BOYS VOLLEYBALL

EXPRESS LEAGUE

Orangewood def. Magnolia Science Academy, 25-10, 25-17, 25-12

BOYS TENNIS

TRINITY LEAGUE

Orange Lutheran 11, St. John Bosco 7

​ Orange County Register 

Workers at 34 Southern California hotels getting pay hikes, other perks

• March 25, 2024

Workers at 34 Southern California hotels hailed new labor contracts Monday that will boost wages by $10 an hour over four years, ending months of protests and rallies for thousands of employees.

The cooks, room attendants, dishwashers and others represented by Unite Here Local 11 were part of a massive labor strike that has seen more than 10,000 workers at 53 hotels stage walkouts, protests and picket lines since the labor action began on July 1, 2023.

Finalized contracts include the Anaheim Hilton, Courtyard Los Angeles L.A. Live, Sheraton Gateway Los Angeles Hotel and Irvine Marriott, among others.

Also see: See the list of 34 Southern California hotels voting on contracts this week

Labor disputes are ongoing at dozens of other hotels — including the Hotel Figueroa, Hotel Maya, Doubletree Downtown Los Angeles and the LA Grand.

“There are still 25 to 30 contracts that have to be finished,” Unite Here co-President President Kurt Petersen said. “Many of them are very close. If any employer has a doubt, they need to know they are already defeated. It is time to sign!”

Pete Hillan, a spokesperson for California Hotel & Lodging Association, welcomed the finalized labor agreements.

“The ratification votes are a long time coming,” Hillan said in a statement. “We’re glad that hotel employees who have been waiting months now can enjoy the benefits of new contracts, including increased compensation, and continue the great work they do for our guests and our communities.”

The Beverly Hilton is among 34 Southern California hotels that have ratified labor agreements with Unite Here Local 11. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

Significant pay increases

Under new four-year contracts, many room attendants, cooks and other non-tipped workers at most of the hotels will get a $5 hourly pay increase in the first year, or an additional $850 monthly or $10,400 a year.

They’ll see a $10-an-hour pay bump, or an increase of up to 50%, over the course of the labor agreements, which expire Jan. 15, 2028, the union said.

Most room attendants will earn $35 an hour, or $73,000 a year, by July 1, 2027, Unite Here said, while top cooks will make $41 an hour, or $85,000 a year. When benefits are added in, a hotel will pay $100,000 annually to employ a single room attendant.

“The most significant achievement is what we won in the first year,” Petersen said. “Because housing costs have soared, we put $5 an hour on the table for the first year. That’s a 20% increase for most workers.”

Tipped workers also will get double-time pay for holidays, vacation and sick days, as well as increases in their share of service charges. An automatic 20% gratuity in full-service restaurants will likewise be shared 100% among staff.

Unite Here said the wage increases will ensure workers can remain housed and have the opportunity to live in the communities where they work as rents continue to soar, and money flows into the region with the World Cup & Olympics.

Brenda Mendoza, a uniform attendant at the JW Marriott Hotel in downtown LA for 14 years,  will earn an extra $5 an hour, or $10,400 a year, under the new agreement.

“It means I don’t have to put in extra hours to make ends meet,” the 42-year-old Apple Valley resident said. “It means that I won’t have to live paycheck to paycheck.”

Arturo Huezo, who has worked in housekeeping at the Fairmont Miramar Santa Monica hotel for 30 years, lauded the contract’s preservation of healthcare coverage.

“The healthcare we were able to keep for me is life-saving,” he said. “I was able to beat cancer, thanks to the medical care I received, and because of that I found the strength to beat this fight, too.”

Under the new contracts, workers pay no more than $20 a month for full family coverage.

Employees will also see their employers’ contribution to their pension fund increase by 600% from their last labor contract in 2018, the union said.

The new contract also restores mandatory daily room cleaning and guarantees pre-pandemic staffing levels.

​ Orange County Register