But they DIDN'T charge them.. What is the next issue...volunteers for beach clean up should get paid and workman's comp...it just gets more absurd as each day passes... How much more will the people accept....uuggghhhh.

the official said "this is a very serious violation." they just don't care. Oh, and he said there should have been workman's comp. somebody said they should charge the "volunteers" so they are like students. there's probably some regulations about operating as a school too. the winery was their "hobby." they both have fulltime careers outside of the business, but they ran it for 20 years now. It has employees who are now out of work because of teh state's actions.

The state of California is insane. What part of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness does this fall under. I am so outraged over this... Directive 10-289 in real time. So, this company shrugs... Glad they did that.

As it should have been all along. I'm intending to use mine this November...

I used to do exactly that when I was a kid. And I was an apprentice on a 100' schooner when I was 18! I learned how to sail, and had room and board, in exchange for my hard work. It was an invaluable learning experience for me.

So mentoring would fall under this pathetic grasping for tax dollars, internships also. Only in for profit enterprises. Because we all know they take in vast amounts of income. Because they're in it for profit. So of course they must be filthy rich capitalists. Wow. The shackles are getting heavier. And where is the outrage against this? And it's not like indentured servitude where there is no choice in the matter. These volunteers CHOSE to give their time in an effort to learn from the winemakers. It was a quid pro quo in action. It was a mutually beneficial arrangement, and did not require ANY GOVERNMENT INTERVENTION. I'm heartily glad to not live in CA, although CT isn't much better.

And someone once told me that this was a free country with protection of private property!!

And to add, I quit singing or mouthing those words "home of the free" about 5 or 6 years ago.

It's sad but true.

So much for interns, Liberty of contract, or common sense.

There are so many double standards in this country they are uncountable. We can have interns at no pay but not volunteers?? I vote for smaller government.

or the home of the brave

and the low level bureaucrats eat it up...Hank Rangar Book III-all on the EPA and also "agency sharing" I need a good title...

Unbelievable. Think of the reach of such a practice! I’m thinking about all the horse farms across the country that provide free lessons for a few in exchange for a lil mucking and grooming.

Nice pic in the article. Wow. We really are living in East Germany. (For anyone who may be too young to remember "The Cold War", research West Germany and East Germany/Iron Curtain for more info.)

I believe this article illustrates we aren't living in 'the Land of the Free'. This is insane.