Farmworkers And Laborers, Crop

Job description

Workers will perform assigned duties as described in this clearance order,
Apples Harvesting: Harvesting apples by hand. The worker will place a picking sack over their shoulder and carry a straight or step ladder (up to 12-14 feet) from the staging area to the designated section of the orchard. The picking sack is a canvas bag equipped with a shoulder strap for support, an opening for the insertion of fruit, and a release mechanism to remove fruit. A fully loaded sack weighs approximately 35 to 40 pounds, depending upon the size, condition, and variety of the fruit. The worker positions the ladder securely against or within the tree, taking care not to break limbs, damage the tree, knock off fruit, or interfere with other workers. The worker will carefully remove fruit from the tree by hand and place it into the picking sack, taking care to minimize bruising and to leave the stems attached to the apples. When the picking sack is full, the worker will take it to the designated fruit bin and carefully empty the fruit. Workers must harvest fruit according to employer instructions to ensure quality and minimize damage to the fresh market crop.

General Farm Maintenance and Other Activities: When primary planting or harvesting work is temporarily unavailable due to weather conditions, crop conditions, operational needs, or other lawful business reasons, workers may be assigned miscellaneous incidental duties directly related to the agricultural operation. These duties will not replace or substantially reduce the availability of primary agricultural work. Such duties may include general clean-up of the worksite, farm property, and agricultural structures; weeding, trimming, digging, cutting, topping, and removal of weeds, vines, debris, and trash from fields and fence lines; routine installation and removal of plastic mulch and irrigation drip tape; and basic irrigation maintenance and minor repair. Field sanitation activities may include cleaning, disinfecting, maintaining, and performing minor upkeep to harvest buckets, bins, trailers, hand tools, and similar agricultural equipment. Workers may also assist with the routine cleaning, washing, lubrication, and basic upkeep of farm vehicles and equipment, including tractors, trucks, buses, trailers, and harvest machinery. Workers may be required to assist with the basic cleaning and routine upkeep of employer-provided housing and common-use facilities, limited to minor, basic tasks necessary to maintain safe, sanitary, and healthy living conditions.
Workers must be able to perform strenuous manual labor outdoors for extended periods in varying weather conditions, including heat, cold, humidity, wind, and rain, for the total hours offered in the work contract. Duties require physical strength and stamina to walk, bend, stoop, kneel, lift, carry, reach, and stand for prolonged periods. Workers must possess sufficient manual dexterity to repetitively and efficiently use their hands and arms while maintaining a continuous workflow. The employer will provide, at no cost to the worker, all tools, supplies, equipment, and personal protective equipment required to perform the assigned duties. Consistent with applicable law, the employer may recover the reasonable cost of repairing or replacing tools or equipment damaged through a worker's willful misconduct or gross negligence, provided any such deduction is authorized in writing by the employee after the damage occurs and does not reduce wages below any applicable minimum wage requirement. At the employer's sole discretion, workers may receive compensation above the offered wage rate based on individual performance, productivity, tenure, or other lawful factors. Such discretionary increases do not create additional minimum qualifications for employment and do not modify the terms and conditions of employment stated in this clearance order.

Special Requirements

This type of work, involves working conditions that require tremendous stamina, a high level of physical activity in cold or extremely hot conditions in direct sunlight and in adverse weather such as rain. The work requires a high level of physical conditioning. Due to the type of work involved, there is a Probationary Period of five (5) days beginning with the first day of employment, to show possession of the requisite physical strength and endurance to perform this type of work.