Farm Workers

Job description

Manually cultivate, harvest and grade peaches. Harvest peaches and place in basket. Once the basket is full of peaches, place basket on the back of truck or trailer as directed. Perform ongoing peach orchard maintenance including pruning and thinning trees. Use manual and mechanized pruning tools and equipment. Use hand tools such as clippers, shovels, trowels, hoes, tampers, pruning hooks, shears and knives. Till soil, transplant, weed, thin and prune crops; clean and load harvested products; cut and drag broken limbs from field and mow; remove any vines, suckers, shoots or debris that may deter the function or growth of trees. Participate in irrigation activities. Install/maintain irrigation systems and water lines. Move and install irrigation pipes and equipment. Dig and maintain ditches. Apply pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, and other crop protectants. Apply fertilizers, plant growth chemicals, conditioners, and other plant related treatments at the correct times depending on plant type, growth, climate and crop conditions. Workers must have a general understanding of how pruning affects competition with fruiting wood and how thinning is done to provide nutrition to the developing fruit. Improper pruning can cause problems with fruit load, fruit size, disease severity, and overall production. Discard inferior or defective peaches. Workers must harvest fruit of desired ripeness and use care when harvesting not to damage or bruise produce. On a smaller scale, workers may plant, cultivate, harvest, grade and pack plums, nectarines, strawberries, squash, zucchini, cucumbers, peas and tomatoes. Prepare fields for planting, spread and remove plastic or other ground covers. Stake, tie and trellis plants. Lift, carry, and load/unload products or supplies. Clean and maintain fields/work areas. 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. Workers will have an unpaid lunch break. 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.

TERMINATION. All workers will be subject to a 2 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 2 day 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 2 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

Work outdoors in inclement weather conditions. Work requires repetitive movements, frequent walking, standing, reaching, stooping, bending, kneeling, pushing/pulling and lifting, carrying and loading up to 25 lbs.