Farmworkers & Laborers

Job description

Pull weeds/chop: Workers will walk along rows as specified by employer and remove weeds and grass from fields by hand or using a hoe. Cultivate and harvest sweet potato, melons and flue-cured tobacco. Load and unload sweet potato, melons and flue-cured tobacco grown on the farm. May operate forklift to load and unload harvested crops. May operate and perform minor maintenance on farm vehicles or equipment. Prolonged walking, standing, bending, stooping, and reaching. Job is outdoors and continues in all types of weather. Workers may be requested to submit to random drug or alcohol tests at no cost to the worker. Failure to comply with the request or testing positive may result in immediate termination. All testing will occur post-hire and is not a part of the interview process. Negative result may be required post-hire and before commencing work. Must be able to lift 75 lbs. to shoulder height repetitively throughout the workday and able to lift and carry 75 lbs. in field. Must not hinder another worker’s productivity. Use of personal cell phone or other personal electronic device during working hours strictly prohibited except for work-related calls or emergencies and violation may result in immediate termination. Requires one month verifiable farmworker experience in the crop activities listed. Must commit to work entire contract period.

Sweet potatoes: Sweet potato harvest workers will walk along row that has been previously plowed. Workers will stoop, bend and kneel to pick up sweet potatoes using hands and fingers to dig out unexposed potatoes. Workers may grade in the field separating #1’s and #2’s into separated 5/8 field hampers. Canners, when harvested, will be placed into a separate bin. Damaged or diseased potatoes will not be harvested. Worker will be required to stay on assigned row. Full hampers weighing up 35 lbs. will be carried to truck row to be loaded onto truck or trailer. Workers may be required to ride mechanical harvester. Workers may be required to perform other duties as required by the employer. Hand harvesting sweet potatoes will be paid on a piece rate per 5/8 bushel. Mechanical harvest work, if any, will be paid hourly.

Hand-harvest melons. Workers will perform assigned duties as instructed by their supervisor. Following the supervisors instructions, workers will walk along rows and cut melons for harvest according to size, color, shape and degree of maturity by using a knife. May carry harvested melons to field truck and load melons on truck or trailer by hand. May unload and pack harvested melons at on-farm packing shed.

Tobacco: Harvest workers will move into a row of mature tobacco plants. Each row may be as long as 1500 feet. The tobacco plant may be from 4 to 6 feet tall and spaced about 20 inches apart in each row. Starting at the bottom of the plant, the worker will bend over at the waist and pick the bottom two or three leaves from each plant. Staying bent over, the worker will move down the row of mature tobacco repeating the above-process. (The bottom leaves may be as low as two inches from the ground.) The worker will place the picked leaves under his arm. Once the worker has gathered an armload of leaves, he will carry it to a field sled. The leaves must be laid neatly onto the field sled. The worker then will return to the row and repeat the process. All workers must be able to distinguish ripe tobacco by observing the color of the leaves. Care must be exercised to prevent breaking of the plants. Workers must be able to move quickly along the rows and move in unison with the field sleds. Worker may ride mechanical transplanter and mechanical harvester. Workers may walk behind transplanter to reset missing plants. Workers must remove all flowering tops and suckers from tobacco plants. Workers may assist in removing tobacco from barn, placing on sheets to be bound and loaded on trucks. Weight of sheets of tobacco may be 300 lbs.

Special Requirements

Prolonged walking, standing, bending, stooping, and reaching. Job is outdoors and continues in all types of weather. Workers may be requested to submit to random drug or alcohol tests at no cost to the worker. Failure to comply with the request or testing positive may result in immediate termination. All testing will occur post-hire and is not a part of the interview process. Negative result may be required post-hire and before commencing work. Must be able to lift 75 lbs. to shoulder height repetitively throughout the workday and able to lift and carry 75 lbs. in field. Must not hinder another workers productivity. Use of personal cell phone or other personal electronic device during working hours strictly prohibited except for work-related calls or emergencies and violation may result in immediate termination. Requires one month verifiable prior farmworker experience in the crop activities listed. Must commit to entire anticipated period of employment.