Farm Workers

Job description

Plant, cultivate, and harvest sugarcane. Operate farm vehicles, equipment and tractors. Use hand tools such as shovels, trowels, hoes, tampers, shears, and knives. Till soil and apply fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides. Repair fences and farm buildings. Repair and maintain farm vehicles, implements, and equipment. Perform general farm maintenance including weed and grass control. Clear and maintain ditches. Workers will work in groups to plant sugarcane while walking behind moving wagon. Walk behind field wagon and manually place and straighten predetermined numbers of sugarcane stalks into an open furrow at specific intervals/overlaps. Load field wagons with sugarcane stalk segments and pick up dropped sugarcane in fields. Inform farmers or farm managers of crop progress. 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. 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. Regardless of whether the employer requires a background check as a condition of employment, the employer may terminate for cause, in accordance with applicable laws and regulations, any worker found during the period of employment to have a criminal conviction record or status as a registered sex offender that the employer reasonably believes will endanger the safety or welfare of other workers, company staff, customers, or the public at large.

Special Requirements

Three months of verifiable farm work experience is required. Bend, sit, reach, stoop, kneel, walk, push and pull for prolonged periods of time, lift and carry up to 50 lbs. and work outside in extremely hot, cold and/or wet weather.