Farm Workers

Job description

Plant, cultivate, harvest, grade and pack vegetables, fruits and field crops including tomatoes, berries, salad greens, cooking greens, root vegetables, squash, cucumbers, onions, okra, peppers, melons, beans, eggplant, potatoes, garlic, herbs and flowers by hand or machine. Duties may include tilling soil, transplanting, cultivating, weeding, thinning or pruning, stringing, hauling, grading, cleaning, packing, washing and loading harvested product, including vegetables, fruits and herbs. Perform greenhouse duties such as preparing soil mixture, planting seeds in trays, transplanting seedlings, watering and moving trays of plants. Use hand tools such as shovels, trowels, hoes, shears, knives and weed eaters. Spread fertilizer with a push spreader. Apply natural and organic insecticides. Maintain and repair trellises, fences, and farm buildings or participate in irrigation activities. Set up and operate irrigation equipment. Operate tractors, tractor-drawn machinery, and self-propelled machinery to disc, till, and shape beds or to plant, cultivate and harvest crops. Clean work areas, and maintain grounds and landscaping. Make boxes. Clean, grade and pack harvested products. Assist with 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. 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.

Workers should expect occasional periods of little or no work because of weather, crop or other conditions beyond the employer's control. These periods can occur anytime throughout the season. Workers may be assigned a variety of duties in any given day and different tasks on different days.

TERMINATION. All workers will be subject to a two day introductory period, during which the employer will evaluate workers' performance of required tasks. Employer reserves the right to terminate a worker at the conclusion of the introductory period if the worker’s performance fails to satisfy the employer’s reasonable expectations, or is otherwise unacceptable. Employer may terminate a worker for lawful job-related reasons, including but not limited to situations in which the worker: (1) Is repeatedly absent or tardy; (2) malingers or otherwise refuses, without cause, to perform the work as directed; (3) commits act(s) of misconduct or repeatedly violates the Work Rules; and/or (4) fails, after completing the two day introductory period, to perform work in a competent and skillful manner, consistent with the employer's reasonable expectations. Non-U.S. workers may be displaced as a result of one or more U.S. workers becoming available for the job during the employer’s recruitment period. Job abandonment will be deemed to occur after five consecutive workdays of unexcused absences. Workers may not report for work under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Possession or use of illegal drugs or alcohol on company premises is prohibited and will be cause for immediate termination.

Special Requirements

Requires three months of commercial farm work experience. Work outdoors in inclement weather conditions such as extreme heat, light rain and high humidity. Prolonged bending, stooping, standing, walking, lifting, pushing, pulling and reaching. Lift, carry and load up to 50 lbs. Due to no use of chemical pesticides on the farm, workers must physically remove and destroy insects by hand throughout the field.