Farmworker

Job duties

Original text, as filed with the Department of Labor.

Duties will include operating farm equipment including, but not limited to, crawfish boats, tractors with various implements,all-terrain vehicles, sprayers, and other agricultural equipment to prepare and maintain land and ponds; grade, wash,fertilize, cultivate, plant, harvest, load, and transport crops; and conduct inspections, repairs, and maintenance on farmequipment when required. Use hand tools, such as, but not limited to, shovels, trowels, hoes, tampers, pruning hooks,and shears. Attend to crawfish traps by baiting, setting, collecting, repairing, cleaning, and storing traps. Participate inirrigation activities such as maintaining, repairing, and operating irrigation equipment; setting up and/or maintaining ridgesof earth around fields and ponds to maintain an adequate water supply; draining excess water from fields; creatingopenings for drainage overflow; and walking each field to check for standing water.
Tree/Fruit farm duties may include preparing tree farm areas and planting sites; preparing soil and planting, transplanting,and establishing trees and seedlings; digging holes, furrows, or trenches for planting; applying fertilizer, soil amendments,and approved pest-control products as directed; watering and irrigating trees and seedlings; removing weeds, grass,vines, and unwanted vegetation around trees; pruning, trimming, shaping, and removing damaged or dead branches andplants using hand tools such as pruning hooks, loppers, and shears; staking, tying, and protecting young trees; inspectingtrees for signs of disease, insects, damage, or poor growth and reporting problems to the farmer or farm manager;replacing dead or damaged trees; maintaining tree rows, access areas, drainage areas, and surrounding grounds;harvesting, cutting, loading, sorting, bundling, and transporting trees or tree products when applicable; and assisting withgeneral maintenance of areas, equipment, and facilities.
Perform sanitation duties that will include removing trash or debris from work areas, farm buildings, farm areas, and fields;assist in upkeep of sanitation standards required by OSHA, such as changing potable water when necessary; keepinghand-washing facilities neat and orderly; cleaning toilet areas of personal contaminants; and properly disposing of trash orgarbage from the facilities. Mow grass around fields, farm areas, access roads, and farm shop locations; dig ditches orchannels for drainage or seedlings. Perform minor repairs to farm buildings or other structures, as well as use hand toolsto perform maintenance or repairs to fencing around fields, ponds, farm areas, and the farm. Inform farmers or farmmanagers of crop and plant/tree progress, field conditions, and any problems observed.
There are few typical days, and workers may be required to change duties and engage in various general farm and treefarm functions. Workers may be required to work outdoors in varying weather conditions and perform physicallydemanding tasks, including standing, walking, bending, stooping, lifting, carrying, and repetitive hand movements. Allother duties, if assigned, will be duties as per SOC/OES Occupation Code (onetonline.org).

Requirements

Once hired worker may be required to submit to a random drug test at no cost to worker. Testing positive or failure to comply may result in immediate termination from employment. The employer may terminate a worker if a worker: refuses without justified cause to perform work for which the worker was recruited and hired; or commits a serious act of misconduct; or fails, after completing any training to be able to perform all of the tasks described in the job order. If the worker voluntarily abandons employment before the end of the contract period or is terminated for cause, and the employer notifies the SWA, DOL, and USCIS in the case of an H2A worker, the employer will not be responsible for providing or paying for the subsequent transportation and subsistence expenses of that worker, and the worker is not entitled to the three-fourths guarantee.

Benefits and conditions