Farmworkers
Employer
1166 Tanyard Road
Sewell, NJ 08080
United States
Job description
Perform manual labor to plant, transplant, cultivate, harvest, and pack a variety of herbs and lettuce. Prepare growing media for seeding. Propagate plants, cuttings, and seedlings. Fill drums with bags of fertilizer, remove weeds, and prune crops. Assemble boxes; tag trays; replace plugs and emitters for irrigation as needed. Inspect plants to assess quality and to detect the presence of insects or disease. Inform supervisors of crop health and progress. Harvest lettuce and herbs as instructed, either placing each plant into a separate bag or clamshell, or cutting large bunches of herbs to be stored in refrigeration and packed in clamshells at a later time. Place harvested product into boxes, label boxes with appropriate PTI labels for traceability, and transfer the boxes to their designated storage area(s). Move, load and unload plants, boxes and materials. Clean and sanitize work areas, harvest areas, floors, growing channels, and nursery flats, daily. Clean and maintain grounds and greenhouses including picking up trash, cleaning bathrooms, and sweeping floors, weekly. Transplant up to 20,000 plants per week, individually, by hand, from the nursery into the open greenhouse areas after the channels are cleaned and sanitized. Assist with and adhere to the Food Safety Plan and Good Agricultural Practices policies and procedures. Drive vehicles to haul crops, supplies, tools, or farm workers on or off the farm. 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. Workers will have an unpaid lunch break.
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. 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. All workers are subject to qualitative performance evaluation relative to employer’s reasonable expectations. In assessing worker performance, employer evaluates whether the worker: (1) adequately complies with the Work Rules and any other policies or procedures disclosed to worker; (2) complies with all health and safety guidelines, including proper use of tools or equipment according to operating instructions and best practices designed to protect employer’s property, crops, and avoid injury or damage; (3) treats company property (tools, equipment, crops, fixtures, etc.) with care and respect, avoiding damage or improper cleanliness or maintenance standards; (4) timely and consistently follows instructions duly communicated by supervisors and other management personnel; (5) adheres to employer’s quality control standards for ensuring a marketable product, avoiding crop damage, etc.; (6) reports to work consistently at the time and place instructed, and remains at work for the agreed-upon work hours unless such absence is excused or approved in advance; (7) consistently performs duties assigned, in the manner instructed, and without purposefully malingering or acting in a recalcitrant manner (i.e., refusing without cause to perform certain duties, refusing to follow instructions, or performing work in a careless manner that poses a risk to the employer’s crops/commodities or other property or endangers the health/safety of others; and (8) maintains an acceptable attitude and demeanor consistent with ordinary workplace norms and standards (i.e., is not outwardly insubordinate,
Special Requirements
Three months of farmwork experience is required. Workers will be required to work on their feet for long periods of time, walk, bend, reach, lift, carry and load up to 50 lbs., and push/pull carts weighing up to 250 lbs. Use of repetitive hand and finger movements. Work in inclement weather including hot, cold, wet and/or humid conditions. Employer is a drug-free workplace. Drug testing is conducted post-hire at the employer's expense and is not part of the interview process.