Labor
Washington state adds emergency rules to protect workers from heat, smoke
On a Tuesday in June, Luis Cisneros stood on a metal ladder harvesting cherries in Washington's fertile Columbia Basin when temperatures reached almost 120 degrees Fahrenheit. After just a few minutes in the sun, the... more »
California employers face rules change for unpaid leave
California employers need to be aware of significant changes to the California Family Rights Act that became effective at the start of 2021. For the first time, employers with fewer than 50 employees are subject... more »
EFI receives two-year grant from California Workforce Development Board
Equitable Food Initiative, the workforce development and certification organization that partners with growers, farmworkers, retailers and consumer groups, announced Aug. 10 a two-year grant from the California Workforce Development Board awarded in conjunction with Measure... more »
L&I reaches $2M settlement with Central WA farm following worker deaths
The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries has reached a settlement with Gebbers Farms Operations LP following one of the largest workplace safety and health fines in state history. Under the agreement, Gebbers Farms will... more »
Event seeks expansion of Midwest’s workforce through immigration reform
On Wednesday, July 28, at 10 a.m. CT / 11 EST, farmers, Dreamers and business owners from across the Midwest will join the American Business Immigration Coalition for a virtual event called Expanding the Midwest's... more »
United Fresh salutes official’s visit to COVID-19 vaccination site for workers
United Fresh released the following statement regarding U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra’s July 23 visit to a farmworker COVID-19 vaccination clinic in Salinas, California, hosted by the Grower-Shipper Association of Central California... more »
Western Growers releases video series ‘Farm Fresh’ saluting farmers, laborers
In “Farm Fresh,” a series of videos released July 20 on YouTube by Western Growers, salutes the skills and ingenuity of the farmers and farmworkers who work to bring food to America’s tables. In previews... more »
H-2A program could be accessed year-round under House measure
Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Washington, released the following statement July 13 after the House Committee on Appropriations approved an amendment introduced by Newhouse and Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, to the Fiscal Year 2022 Homeland Security Appropriations Act.... more »