Laying down on the Job
Sorry guys but I guess I’ve been laying down on the job.
And, I should be hanging by head down in shame.
As has been pointed out by several of you I have not posted in several weeks and that’s true. I apologize for not posting but have been busy as hell moving from the California to the East Coast.
You may remember that a few months ago I mentioned to you some of the problems which were occuring in the State of California with various state agencies. First, the EDD, the Economic Deveolpment Department has ruled that all models, even when used only one time and perhaps only for a few hours, are in fact EMPLOYEES. The EDD did this for two reasons. First, they wanted to be able to force adult film companies to pay payroll taxes, social security tax, etc., instead of doing a 1099 to each model at the end of the year. California is hurting for money and they are making us their tax collector.
The second reason they did this is because now that ALL models are re-classified as employees, companies producing adult content are now subject to Cal-OSHA regulations where their models are concerned. You see, Cal-OSHA can only regulate the relationship between employers and employees, NOT the relationship between an independent contractor and whomever he may choose to provided his services.
Being regulated by Cal-OSHA, as far as models are concerned is a serious situation as Cal-OSHA has as a part of their regulations and entire section on what is called “bloodborne pathogens”. That rule regulates what an employer must do to protect his employees from the transfer of bodily fluids from one employee to another.
The bloodborne pathogen rules are very onerous and impossible for an adult studio to follow, even adult studios that use condoms for anal sex. As an example, one of the rules states that a condom MUST be used for BOTH oral and anal sex. Another states that when their is contact between one employees tongue and another employees ass or vagina, a barrier (dental damn) must be used. Another rules says that if a violation occurs then the employer (studio) must offer to the employee (model) a Hepatitis C vaccination or get a letter from the employee stating that he refused such vaccination.
There are many, many more rules in the bloodborne regulations, page after page and obviously adult studios simply cannot comply, unless of course, you, as a viewer of adult films, want to see every cock covered in a condom even during a blow job.
Cal-OSHA is now enforcing these regulations. Two straight companies have already been fined $30,000 each. Hot Desert Knights, Inc,. was inspected by Cal-OSHA and levied a $10,600 fine. We are, of course, fighting this fine and have appealed it and are now waiting for Cal-OSHA to set the appeal date. Should any of the gay press want to discuss this issue further, please feel free to contact me at bill@hotdesertknights.com
The state of California is now also considering passing NEW and more strict laws about what can and cannot happen on the set during a porn shoot. Not having a lot of faith in the idiot legislators in California HDK made the decision to move the productions office completely out of the state of California and cease filming there until such time as they get their collective heads our of their collective asses. Many ohter studios have done the same thing. It just isn’t a free country anymore.
Thus, the reason I haven’t posted to the site. I have been busy the past couple of months moving from California to the Philadelphia/Washington D.C./Baltimore area. We are not divulging our location so as not to invite any trouble from other areas. Moving that much equipment, plus all of my household goods, 3,000 miles has required multiple trips across the country, and then, of course, having to set up and arrange both the house and office has been quite the ordeal.
The good news is it’s about completed and we are now beginning to make arrangements to start filming again on the east coast.
So, accept my apologies for not posting and expect to start seeing new posts coming through again, and, as always, fee free to send along your comments. We like hearing from you, we always respond to comments and many others who read this blog also respond.
Bill G
HDK Bill
President
Hot Desert Knights, Inc.
