Nursery Worker (45-2092.00)

Job description

Workers will perform tasks for various employers as listed on their contract.
Crops: Wholesale Ornamental grasses, sedges, perennials, and grass like plants.
Greenhouse/Nursery: Workers may perform any combination of the following duties concerned with preparing soil and growth media, cultivation, and otherwise participating in horticultural activities: haul, spread, dig, rake, and mix media to prepare the growing areas for production; cover and fill cold frames and greenhouses in preparation for planting, planting beds/fields; haul/move plants, load trucks, plant, spray, weed, water, split, prune, trim, shape and space products; fertilize with granular or liquid fertilizer; tie, bunch, wrap, and pack trees and shrubs to fill orders and load onto trucks for marketing; in a greenhouse, or in an outdoor production area transplanting seedlings and liners into containers and place in growing area.

Additional job duties: Working in onsite show beds, stock beds and fields. Assist with plant production to include trimming, splitting, potting, and moving plants into and out of on-site greenhouses and fields. Workers will assist with plant growing to include weeding, planting beds and fields, working in on-site landscaping of show beds, trimming, pruning plant inventory, and moving plants into and out of on-site greenhouses and fields. Assist with plant shipment to include cleaning, organizing, moving plants into and out of on-site greenhouses and fields, watering, weeding, boxing, and tagging plants for shipping and loading trucks.

Farm Equipment Operation: Workers may be required to operate farm equipment during daily operations, as an incidental activity. Before any worker is required to operate any farm equipment, workers will be instructed in the safety and operation of the tractor before driving the tractor. Tractors should be driven in a manner to protect operator, other workers, products, trees, crops, and equipment. Repeated failure to obey safety requirements and operating instructions may result in termination.

General Maintenance: Workers will perform various duties for upkeeping of the nursery property, lawns, gardens, greenhouses, fields, equipment, and buildings. These duties may include painting of nursery buildings, fence repair, mowing, weed eating, and other general building and ground maintenance.

Instructions and general supervision will be provided by the farm owner/supervisor or a designated employee. However, field workers will be expected to perform their duties in a timely and proficient manner without close supervision.

The employer retains the right to discharge an obviously unqualified worker, malingerer or recalcitrant worker who is physically able to but does not demonstrate the willingness to perform the work necessary for the employer to grow a premium quality product.

During certain duties, workers may be required to work in teams to accomplish a certain task. When engaged in teamwork activities workers must coordinate with other members of the team to accomplish the task.

Full Crop Commitment: This is regular work, six hours per day, Monday-Friday, and five hours on Saturday for the full remainder of the period of employment. The worker agrees to work for assigned employer(s) whenever work is available during the full remaining period of employment even though work may be slack at times. The worker understands that if the worker quits or is terminated for cause prior to the end of the period of employment, the worker will not receive the 3/4 guarantees and will not receive certain transportation reimbursements. Excessive tardiness and/or absences will not be tolerated and will result in termination.

Special Requirements

All applicants must have at least 3 months experience working in a commercial greenhouse. Applicants must furnish affirmative job references from recent employers operating comparable operations establishing acceptable previous experience. Must be physically able to meet and perform all job specifications stated in job order. Must be able to work in the hot humid weather for extended periods of time. Workers are subject to random drug testing at no cost to the employee. All drug testing will occur after the worker begins his or her employment and is not a part of the interview process. Failing or refusing a drug test will result in immediate termination.