Labor

Push is on to move ag labor measures before election

The cold wind that is freezing Washington, D.C., as I write this article is not dissimilar to the chilly environment we have witnessed over the past several months on the Senate side of the Capitol... more »

Labor shortage at center of delays, stagnation, freight carriers say

On Jan. 6, 2022, there were a record 105 shipping vessels anchored or loitering off the coast of Southern California waiting for openings to dock at the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles. On... more »

Southeast ag industry compliance hike sought by DOL

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division is continuing its multi-year education and enforcement initiative to increase compliance with federal labor laws in the Southeast’s agricultural industry. In addition to enforcement activity, the initiative provides... more »

UF/IFAS part of effort to provide farmworker health fair in Florida

Florida’s agricultural workforce is one of the largest in the country and includes more than 200,000 migrant farmworkers providing essential work across many crop varieties and industries year-round. When their health is compromised, so is... more »

Victory claimed by produce shippers in California joint employment case

On Oct. 15, 2021, the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California issued a wage and hour decision for the produce industry, ruling in favor of two separate produce marketing companies based in... more »

Farm labor contractor to pay $249,000 in back wages, penalties

A federal judge approved a settlement with a Frostproof farm labor contractor – Jose M. Gracia Harvesting Inc. – who the U.S. Department of Labor found shortchanged workers and failed to provide them with safe... more »

Back wages, penalties paid by Florida employer for shorting H-2A workers

After long days spent toiling in fields under a hot Missouri sun, immigrant workers returned to what was once a county jail where their employer housed them in unsanitary living conditions and added to their... more »

USCIS launches H-2A Employer Data Hub

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has launched an H-2A Employer Data Hub to provide information to the public on employers or agents petitioning for H-2A workers. The data hub is part of USCIS' continued... more »