Farmworker

Job description

Plant, cultivate and harvest tobacco. Set plants in rows. Transplant or replant tobacco as needed. Take care to prevent bruising or breaking plants. Remove tops, flowers, and suckers. Pull mature leaves from stalks based on stalk position and leaf color. Cut tobacco plant and load in wagons and transport to tobacco barns for curing. Loading and unloading tobacco barns. String, handle and hang tobacco leaves for drying. Remove leaves from stalks, prepare tobacco leaves and bind in bundles to pack in barrels. Construct and maintain shade tents, barns, and barrels. Prepare and maintain land for growing tobacco. Use hand tools such as shovels, trowels, hoes, tampers, and machetes. Perform general farm maintenance including weed and grass control. Assist with cleaning, maintenance, and repairing equipment, tools, fences, and farm buildings. Dig, clear and maintain ditches to drain water from fields. Failure to comply with safety requirements and operating instructions may result in disciplinary action up to and including immediate termination. Assist in Good Agricultural Practices policies. Allergies to ragweed, goldenrod, honey bees, insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, or related chemicals may affect a worker's ability to perform the job. Persons seeking employment in this position must be available for the entire period requested by the employer. Employer reserves the right to discharge an obviously unqualified worker, malingerer or recalcitrant worker who is physically able but is unwilling to perform the work necessary for the employer to grow a premium quality product, or for any other lawful reason.

Employer may request, but not require, workers to work more than the stated daily hours and/or on a worker's Sabbath or federal holidays. Workers will have an unpaid lunch break. Worker must report to work at designated time and place each day. Daily or weekly work schedule may vary due to weather, sunlight, temperature, crop conditions, and other factors. Employer will notify workers of any change to start time.

TERMINATION. Prior to any termination for cause, employer evaluates workers' performance of required tasks and compliance with Work Rules and other employer policies. Employer may terminate a worker for cause if the worker's performance consistently and/or substantially fails to satisfy the employer's reasonable expectations (in accordance with the criteria set forth herein), or otherwise engages in serious or egregious misconduct that endangers health, safety, or property. In assessing whether workers' performance meets reasonable expectations, employer evaluates, among other reasonable criteria, whether the worker: (1) has adequately complied with the Work Rules and any other policies or procedures; (2) has complied with all health and safety guidelines, including the use of tools or equipment in accordance with best practices to protect the employer's property, crops, and in a manner that avoids injury or damage; (3) has treated company property (tools, equipment, crops, fixtures, etc.), with care and respect, avoiding damage or improper cleanliness or maintenance standards; (4) has timely and consistently followed instructions duly communicated by supervisors, crew leaders, and management personnel; (5) has complied with the employer's quality control standards for ensuring a marketable product; (6) is not repeatedly tardy or absent, has reported to work at the time and place instructed, and remained at work for the agreed-upon work hours, unless such absence was excused or the worker timely communicated and sought approval for any deviation from such schedule; (7) has consistently performed the duties assigned, in the manner instructed, and has not purposefully malingered or acted in a recalcitrant manner (i.e.

Special Requirements

Three months of farmwork experience working with tobacco. Work outdoors in extremely hot, cold and/or wet weather. Bend, stoop, reach, push, pull, walk and sit for prolonged periods of time. Lift, carry and load up to 50 lbs. Must be 18 years or older. Drug testing is conducted post-hire, under suspicion, at random and post accident at the employer's expense and is not part of the interview process.