Labor

Ag workers in Washington state would become eligible for overtime

Agricultural workers in Washington state would become eligible for overtime pay under a bill signed May 11 by Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee, drawing praise from President Joe Biden. According to media reports, Senate Bill 5172... more »

Tips to better prepare farms against COVID-19 for upcoming harvest

Farm owners and workers play a key role in the Florida food production system and are truly essential. COVID-19 caused a major disruption on the 2020 fresh vegetable and fruit crop growing season. University of... more »

COVID-19 safety webinars for farm labor supervisors set in Florida

University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences experts at the Southwest Florida Research and Education Center will hold bilingual webinars later this month titled, "Farm Labor Supervisor COVID-19 Safety Updates: How to Reduce... more »

California workers in high-risk jobs reflect pandemic’s toll, analysis shows

California is getting a closer look at exactly how workers in high-risk industries across the state have borne the brunt of the coronavirus pandemic. For the first time, UC Merced's Community and Labor Center (CLC) has... more »

Workplace protections, including no bunk beds, extended in Oregon

Oregon OSHA has adopted a rule to maintain risk-reducing safety measures for workers across the state against the coronavirus. Although the rule includes several changes based on the public comments received since the rule was... more »

New Mexico effort touts innovative smart farming skills

The New Mexico State University’s College of Engineering and College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences along with Doña Ana Community College have formed a partnership to prepare the next-generation workforce to use innovative smart... more »

Little evidence that H-2A workers die more frequently on the job than others

Guest worker visas are the best way to increase temporary migration of lower‐skilled workers in the current policy and political environment. Doing so has the additional benefit of reducing illegal immigration by channeling them into... more »

‘Common sense ruling’ goes in favor of Washington farm labor managers

Yakima County Superior Court Judge Blaine Gibson ruled in favor of agriculture groups, prohibiting the state of Washington from enforcing unreasonable emergency COVID-19 regulations farm leaders say don’t incorporate best science, the arrival of vaccines,... more »