By Robert Haugh

The Sustainable Economies Law Center will hold a free webinar today to share legal steps for Santa Clara businesses who may want to convert to a worker cooperative.

The free webinar will be from 3 to 4 p.m. and show how to comply with California and federal regulations.

You can hear directly from experienced worker-owners. They’ll explain why they sold their business to their employees. 

You can sign up for that webinar at this site.

Last year, the City held a study session on worker cooperatives. 

The idea started with Kirk Vartan, the founding owner of A Slice of New York (ASONY), a Santa Clara business that’s won tons of awards for best local pizza. (Note to readers: the pizza is great).

ASONY became a worker cooperative recently.

Vartan initially approached Mayor Lisa Gillmor to get the City to sponsor the educational effort.

“Small, locally owned businesses are essential to Santa Clara’s economy and community vitality,” said Gillmor. “Now, more than ever, solutions are needed that create economic resiliency for workers and local economies.”

Here’s the City’s site on worker cooperatives for more info.

Project Equity and the Democracy at Work Institute are also involved in the educational effort.