Now Nobody Gets To Work Then

A small winery in California which is only open 10 hours a week is forced to shut down due to helping people learn how to run a winery.

The state does not like volunteers volunteering their time in-order to learn how to run a winery so they fined the winery 10 years worth of profits, which has shut the business down.

The fine was $115,000 and the winery only makes about $10,000 profit per year.

The state has a law which states you can not have unpaid volunteers, because they care about the workers?  No, because they did not pay taxes on those volunteers said the state Department of Industrial Relations.

"I didn't know it was illegal to use volunteers at a winery; it's a common practice," said winery owner Bill Smyth.

The winery was cited for not paying minimum wage, not providing wage statements and not paying workers' compensation insurance, said Peter Melton, a spokesman for the state.

"These are not idle things. People should be paid for their labor. The workers' compensation violations are very serious. What happens if someone has a catastrophic injury at the winery?" he asked.

What about the volunteers who said this is their time and should be able to do with it what they want.

But Nooooooooo the state told them they will tell them what to do with their time when it comes to work.

"This was an incredible opportunity for me," said Peter Goodwin, a home winemaker from Walnut Creek who said he dreams of opening a winery with some friends. "I got to learn from someone who knows the business."

"That's what I wanted, to be as involved as much as possible -- it was all about learning," he said. "I don't understand the state's action. It was my time, and I volunteered."

"I should be able to volunteer my time," said the retired Castro Valley resident.

Do think this can only happen in California, well you are wrong.  The State of Michigan has the same law, only interns earning college credit can work for no pay in Michigan.

Your thoughts?

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