Agriculture, Forestry

Job duties

Original text, as filed with the Department of Labor.

All applicants must be able, willing, and qualified to perform the work described in this job description and must be available for the entire period of employment specified in box A.3 & A.4. This work order is for qualified people with 1 month’s prior experience performing agricultural work and working in a commercial scale maple sugaring operation. Workers must be willing to work in cold weather as low as -20 degrees Fahrenheit/-28 degrees Celsius and work on snow covered ground up to 5 feet. Employees are required to provide their own appropriate and effective layers and outerwear such as boots, parka/jacket, rain gear (pants and jackets), hats, gloves, and base layers. Workers may perform a variety of tasks throughout these seasons based on what the woods manager they report to needs for the day-to-day operation of the bush. Workers will use precision tree-sap tapping equipment and operate all-terrain vehicles. This position involves precision boring of "tap-holes" in trees; precision insertion and setting of spouts; crimping, cutting, and connecting food-grade flexible PVC tubing; and installation and repairing of various diameter food-grade flexible PVC pipe/tubing (up to 2'). Workers are responsible for the hands-on work of fall maintenance, leak checking, leak repairs, tap pulling and tapping to Sweet Tree's tapping quality standards. Workers must be physically able to stand and walk for most of the day in woods and mountainous environments. Workers must be able to work independently or in small groups in remote settings. Workers must be able to lift and carry up to 50 pounds and be available to work Monday through Saturday. The employer will provide 1 day of training and allow 2 days of work for the worker to satisfactorily perform all duties in this job order. Workers will be compensated at the correct rate of pay for all hours worked, including when they are performing the employer’s obligation of driving. Employer will furnish to workers without cost all tools and equipment required to perform duties assigned. Workers will generally be required to work 8 hours shift within the hours of 7:00am to 7:00pm, from Monday through Saturday. This schedule totals 48 hours per week. The 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. range reflects the seasonal and weather-dependent nature of maple tapping operations, including variability in sap flow and collection conditions. This flexibility ensures workers can complete their required weekly hours while responding to daily production needs. In addition, they may also be offered additional voluntary hours outside of such hours and days, resulting in optional 10–12-hour shifts performing work related to operating and monitoring reverse osmosis machines and other processing equipment in the pumphouse. Additional assigned duties may include incidental functions related to processing of maple sap (as described in 29 C.F.R. § 780.815), such as operating vacuuming pumps, monitoring equipment, cleaning lines and filter presses, setting up evaporators and necessary equipment during boiling hours only in Sweet Tree’s on-site processing facilities. No non-agricultural work will be assigned. Workers will be given 30 minutes for lunch break, staggered within the hours of 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., as determined by both the workers and management. Workers may choose where to eat their lunch and must return to work after the 30-minute break. Beginning and ending times will vary depending on the conditions in the sugar bush. Workers must be able to take direction in simple English.

Requirements

Benefits and conditions

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