UFW Foundation Applauds the Introduction of the Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury and Fatality Prevention Act of 2025
Washington, D.C. — The UFW Foundation applauds the reintroduction of the Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury and Fatality Prevention Act of 2025 by Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Representative Judy Chu (D-Calif.).
The legislation would protect workers who are exposed to dangerous heat conditions in the workplace by requiring the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to establish enforceable standards, such as paid breaks in cool spaces, access to water, limitations on time exposed to heat, and emergency response for workers with heat-related illness. It also directs employers to provide training for their employees on the risk factors that can lead to heat illness and guidance on the proper procedures for responding to symptoms.
The legislation is named in honor of Asunción Valdivia, who died in 2004 after picking grapes for ten hours in 105-degree temperatures. Asunción fell unconscious, and instead of calling an ambulance, his employer told Asunción’s son to drive his father home. On his way home, he died of heat stroke. He was only 53 years old.
Erica Lomeli Corcoran, Chief Executive Officer of the UFW Foundation, said:
“Farm workers are 35x more likely to die from heat-related illnesses. Make no mistake—heat-related illnesses and deaths are entirely preventable. The ongoing lack of federal protections puts workers in an impossible situation where they are forced to choose between making a living and protecting their lives. In some states such as Texas and Florida, lawmakers have banned local laws mandating water and rest breaks. The Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury and Fatality Prevention Act is the solution to ensure that farm worker lives are protected. Without federal protections, farm workers will continue to be at risk of serious illness and death as climate change exacerbates heatwaves, wildfires, and other extreme weather events.”
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The UFW Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, advocates for labor rights and protections for farm workers across the U.S. and provides educational outreach and critical services such as serving as one of the largest providers of immigration legal services to low-income rural California communities. For more information, visit ufwfoundation.org.
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