Farmworker

Job description

Plant, cultivate and harvest tobacco. Set plants in rows. Transplant or replant tobacco as needed. Take care to prevent bruising or breaking plants. Remove tops, flowers, and suckers. Pull mature leaves from stalks based on stalk position and leaf color. Cut tobacco plant and load in wagons and transport to tobacco barns for curing. Loading and unloading tobacco barns. String, handle and hang tobacco leaves for drying. Remove leaves from stalks, prepare tobacco leaves and bind in bundles to pack in barrels. Construct and maintain shade tents, barns, and barrels. Prepare and maintain land for growing tobacco. Use hand tools such as shovels, trowels, hoes, tampers, and machetes. Perform general farm maintenance including weed and grass control. Assist with cleaning, maintenance, and repairing equipment, tools, fences, and farm buildings. Dig, clear and maintain ditches to drain water from fields. Failure to comply with safety requirements and operating instructions may result in disciplinary action up to and including immediate termination. 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. 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. 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 farmwork experience working with tobacco. Work outdoors in extremely hot, cold and/or wet weather. Bend, stoop, reach, push, pull, walk and sit for prolonged periods of time. Lift, carry and load up to 50 lbs. Must be 18 years or older. Drug testing is conducted post-hire, under suspicion, at random and post accident at the employer's expense and is not part of the interview process.