The following message was shared by Shavonne Person, Community Outreach & Resource Planning Specialist (CORPS), and Steven Risko, Assistant District Director, U.S. Department of Labor – Wage & Hour Division, Southern New Jersey District Office in Lawrenceville:
“The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division enforces some of our nation’s most comprehensive labor laws for agricultural workers, including the labor provisions of the H-2A visa program and the Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act. We continue to enforce and provide educational outreach about these laws during the coronavirus pandemic, and remain committed to safeguarding American jobs, leveling the playing field for law-abiding employers, and protecting worker health and safety.
“We recognize that agricultural employers are encountering rapidly changing circumstances and unique public health and safety issues relating to the coronavirus pandemic. Agricultural workers and employers have stepped up to prevent disruptions to America’s food supply chain while ensuring the health and safety of the essential workforce that cultivates and harvests our crops.
“At this critical time, we encourage employers to consult health and safety guidance and recommendations published jointly by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, which can be found at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/guidance-agricultural-workers.html (Spanish – https://espanol.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/guidance-agricultural-workers.html). This guidance outlines recommendations for agriculture work sites, shared worker housing, and shared worker transportation to prevent and control the spread of the coronavirus. Employers should also consult with their local and state public health agencies to obtain guidance and recommendations tailored to the public health conditions in their specific regions. [NJ DOH/DOL/NJDA Guidance available here.]
“Please visit our agricultural employment website at www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/agriculture for guidance, compliance materials, posters, and forms. We have a number of materials available in a “Compliance Assistance Toolkit for Agricultural Employers” that you can download from our website or order in hard copy at https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/compliance-assistance/toolkits/agriculture.
“Also please see additional resources regarding the new OSHA wallet card: Pandemic Resources A wallet card for agricultural workers provides information on staying safe and reporting workplace hazards.
“US Dept of Labor – Wage & Hour Div Offers We also encourage agricultural employers, employees, and other stakeholders to reach out to us with any questions or concerns at 1-866-487-9243 or www.dol.gov/agencies/whd. If we cannot answer your question, we can assist in determining who best can.
