THE BASICS

If you work in the coffee industry, you should be sensitive to large systems acting against the benefit or will of the people they purport to serve. Staying informed, staying vocal, and staying clear about what matters are not the be-all end-all for making positive impact, but they are prerequisites.

With that said, we know that solidarity isn’t enough, but we still want to unambiguously express it: solidarity with everyone appalled and overwhelmed by what ICE is perpetrating right now in the United States—most visibly in Minneapolis—but to varying degrees throughout the country. With our key audience of cafe/roastery owners/managers in mind, we have collected some resources on workplace rights in the event of an interaction with ICE. These may be redundant, but if you have not yet had the conversation with your team, let this be one more bank of resources to kickstart that process.

Today, the 28th of January, is hopefully a pivotal inflection point—certain small signs indicate that the government is responding to the pressure sustained foremost by the people of Minnesota, with aspects of de-escalation easing into motion. It is fair to infer that we may soon see a degree of ICE reallocation to other cities and that at least slightly more attention will be paid to preserving the optics of legal action as audits and encounters nonetheless continue.

MEETING THE MOMENT

For that reason, now feels like a worthwhile opportunity to reorient around some of the basics. Some of this may be redundant, but if you have not yet had the conversation with your team, let this be one more bank of resources to kickstart that process.

Below, we’ve summarized some steps we can all take towards readiness in the one-the-nose acronym ‘SALT’, reminding us to Stay calm, Ask for a warrant, Limit access, and Track & Train — all of which are elaborated upon in a printable format linked a little further down.

We’ve also dedicated some extra energy to how I-9 preparedness can help your business prepare against one of the most common catalysts for ICE encounters at places of work.

We know that these are small steps, and that in dire circumstances legal technicalities can prove useless, but we believe that collective care requires readiness, and if we can make any aspect of that readiness quicker or easier—let’s do it.

I-9’s

For business owners & HR teams:

Not all I-9 audits result in an ICE workplace raid, but nearly all ICE raids start with I-9 audits. They are administratively tedious and boring, but much more common than the higher visibility raids that more often make the news. That’s why we need to know about them.

I-9 audits begin with a Notice of Inspection (NOI) giving business owners three days to provide their I-9 records. If errors or inconsistencies are found, owners are given 10 days to respond with corrections. You can protect your employees by completing I-9s correctly and on time (Section 1 by the first day of work, Section 2 within 3 days of hire). Details matter, since snags or inconsistencies within them are what trigger audits.

It is the employer who decides what information to ask from employees, and they should avoid over-documenting—no need to ask for anything that exceeding the “one List A document, or one List B + one List C document” requirement.

When storing I-9s keep them separate from other HR paperwork.

Also, if possible—avoid using E-Verify for filing, as this has been correlated to a higher chance of audits.

“KNOW YOUR RIGHTS” QUICK SHEETS: LINKED & PRINTABLE

Click the link at the bottom of any image to be taken to a printable PDF with active links

BEYOND THE BASICS

Pages 2 and 3 of the document above contain links to valid, vetted sources that are great jumping off points for learning more or further pursuing any of these concisely conveyed ideas. To close out this post, it’s also worth acknowledging that much of the potential progress hinted at right now is a product of serious, sustained messaging to politicians with voting power. In our experience, the best starting point for knowing where to direct your voice is 5 Calls, a site that allows you to set your location, search for issues that are important to you, and will then provide a comprehensive set of relevant representatives, how to contact them, relevant background information for the issue you’ve identified, and even a “script” to help orient the call/voicemail. Beyond this, entities like the National Immigration Law Center also provide several simple sign-ups and prompts for messages to legislators about issues directly related to immigration and enforcement.

As trying a period as this continues to be, we are also bearing witness to an incredible rallying around what’s right. Both as individuals and organizationally, we will continue doing our best to do more, to stay prepared, and to remain a resource for those of you we are already so proud to collaborate with.

For now—stay informed, stay loud, and stay safe.