Farmworkers

Job description

Perform manual labor to plant pecan trees, cultivate, graft, harvest, and grade pecans by hand and machine. Clean, pack, load, and transport, via tractor and wagons, harvested products. Operate farm vehicles, tractors, forklifts, ATVs, and other agricultural equipment. Perform ongoing orchard maintenance including pruning and thinning on ladders and lifts. Use hand tools such as shovels, trowels, hoes, tampers, pruning hooks, pruning scissors, pipe fittings, pipe wrenches, shears, pick axes and wheelbarrows. Prune trees using hand tools, chain saws, or hydraulic equipment. Till soil; transplant, weed, thin, and prune crops. Work in on-site pecan cleaning plant including connecting/disconnecting wagons of harvested pecans to dryers, unloading harvested pecans from wagons into elevator pit, moving cleaned pecans from cleaning plant to adjacent storage via forklift, work at picking table to clean pecans, including removing dirt, sticks, rocks and trash. Repair fences and farm buildings. Repair and maintain farm vehicles and agricultural equipment. Clean farm vehicles and equipment by hand, pressure washer, or steam cleaner. Remove sticks from orchard by hand or machine. Apply fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides. Remove unwanted weeds by hand in orchard or elsewhere. Maintain irrigation system including repairing leaks, cleaning and/or replacing drip or micro jet emitters, flushing water lines. Install irrigation systems under supervisor direction. Workers are also responsible for sanitation duties including cleaning sweeping and mopping floors. Workers with valid driver's licenses may transport workers and may be offered additional hours. 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.

Special Requirements

Three months of farmwork experience required. Lift and carry up to 50 lbs. Climb 6 ft. ladders and use 25 ft. lifts. Work outside in extremely hot, cold, and/or wet weather. Perform prolonged walking, bending, pushing, pulling, lifting and reaching overhead for extended periods of time. Perform repetitive movements. Hazardous occupation. Must be 18 or older.