Farmworker; Vegetable 45-2092.00

Job description

Crops that will be harvest and pack: Broccoli, Cucumber, Watermelons, Cabbage, Squash. Workers will harvest, weed, and perform post-harvest field cleanup.

Sanitation Requirements: For food and general personal safety purposes, all workers will be required and expected to follow common sanitary practices at all times. This is particularly critical when hand harvesting crops for human consumption. Employees are required to cleanse their hands by washing them thoroughly with soap and water after using the bathroom and before entering the fields for harvest activities.

Workers will remove the vegetable (listed above) from the plant according to size and maturity that will be able to be packed and shipped. Then the produce will be placed in a six-gallon picking bucket. After bucket is full the workers will and carry the bucket to a flatbed truck or flatbed field trailer. A person on truck or trailer will receive the full buckets. This person will either dump the produce in plastic bin or set the full bucket on the truck or trailer. The person on the truck on the trailer will give a token to the picker each time they take a full bucket. This process will be repeated throughout the day until the scheduled field is picked. All packing will be done on the farm and usually in the field.
During certain duties, workers may be required to work in teams to accomplish a certain task. When engage in teamwork activities workers must coordinate with other members of the team to accomplish the task.

Agricultural Equipment Operators: Workers will operate tractors, flatbed trucks, and buses to transport crops, supplies, tools and farm workers. Workers will drive flatbed farm trucks to take the crops from the field to the packing shed. Workers must use caution when moving farm equipment and vehicles to ensure workers, plants, buildings, and other farm property are protected. Any worker hired for this job duty must follow all safety precautions and procedures and have the appropriate license. Properly licenses workers may drive trucks or vehicles to transport workers. Properly experienced workers may be requested to be team leaders.
Properly experienced workers may be requested to be working team leaders.

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

Farm, Field, and Shed Sanitation: All workers will be responsible for picking up trash, cleaning bathrooms, sweeping floors and other farm and shed sanitation duties.

GENERAL CONDITIONS: Work 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 30 degrees. 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. These could/will weigh 75 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.

Special Requirements

All applicants must have at least 3 months experience hand harvesting a perishable crop. Applicants must be able to furnish affirmative job references from recent employers. 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.