45-2092 Agricultural Nursery Worker

Job description

Agriculture Nursery Workers may perform any combination of the following duties concerned with watering, loading, and unloading employer’s nursery stock. Duties will be sporadic all through the contract due to various crops and crop conditions. Duties will/could include pruning, cutting, deadheading, pinching, spacing plants, fertilizing with granular or liquid fertilizer, cleaning work areas, transporting plant materials, loading and unloading plants by hand, watering by hand with pumps or hoses. Crops include bedding plants, annuals, Perennials, roses, mums, succulents, vegetables, foliage, and poinsettias.
Some workers will operate vehicles on public roadways. Workers must follow all safety and motor vehicle laws as well as employers Fleet Safety Policy. Workers found to not follow these laws and/or policy may be terminated.
GENERAL CONDITIONS: Fieldwork begins at assigned time usually shortly after daylight. Work is performed during light rain and in high humidity and in temperatures ranging from 100 (+) degrees to below 35 degrees F. Workers will work on their feet in bent, stooped, and crouched positions for long periods of time. Workers will make fast, simple, repeated movements of fingers, hands, and wrists. Workers must be able to bend, stretch, twist, or reach out with the body, arms, and/or legs. Workers will use muscles to lift, push, pull, or carry heavy objects, such as potted plants. These could/will weigh 50 lbs. Workers will supply their own work clothes. All the tasks in this Job Description constitute one (1) job; the employer may assign workers to different tasks on any day or to multiple tasks during the same day in the sole judgment of the employer. This is a very demanding and competitive business in which quality specifications must be rigorously adhered to. Sloppy work cannot and will not be tolerated.

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, seven 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 guarantee and will not receive certain transportation reimbursements. Excessive tardiness and/or absences will not be tolerated and will result in termination.
The worker understands that if he abandons his employment or is terminated for cause prior to the end of the period of employment period he will forfeit the 3/4 guarantee and reimbursement of certain transportation costs described elsewhere in this job order. Excessive absences and/or tardiness, as defined in the Work Rules, cannot be tolerated and may result in termination.

Daily individual work assignments, crew assignments, and location of work, will be made by and at the sole discretion of the farm manager and/or farm supervisor as the needs of the farming operation dictate. Workers may be assigned a variety of duties in any given day and /or different tasks on different days. Workers will be expected to perform any of the listed duties and work on any crop as assigned by the worker’s supervisor.

Special Requirements

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.