Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/54939
Contractors are a source of workers Workers are employed by the contractor, who pays them and handles the paperwork. by Geraldine Warner U sing farm labor contractors can be beneficial for both employers and workers, as they can turn sporadic sea- sonal work into full-time employment, says Dan Fazio, executive director of the Washington Farm Labor Association. Contractors are widely used in Califor- nia, but are much less common in the Pacific Northwest, where they don't always have the best reputation. There are some fly-by-night contractors, he said, but his association is hoping to compile an "A" list of contractors who can provide workers. "We're trying to upgrade the reputation of farm-labor contractors and get more contractors who will work with farmers and guarantee that their services are going to be exactly what the farmer needs," he said during a recent work-force seminar. Hiring workers through a farm-labor contractor can work well in areas where different crops are grown, because, typi- cally, contractors will move their workers from crop to crop to keep them busy through the season. "It doesn't work as well when everyone wants their cherries picked," Fazio said. Mike Atkinson, owner of Atkinson Staffing in Hermiston, Oregon, said some crops are more time sensitive than others. Some have a 60-day window during which workers can be moved to a differ- ent job and then back again. Atkinson said he tries to develop teams of workers who know what they're doing and screen out those who would not be a good fit for the grower. "We like to have a relationship with the grower," he said. Atkinson said growers should figure on paying about 20 percent on top of the actual cost of the labor and warned that if a labor contractor has a package that sounds too good to be true, it probably is. "Those people are not working for free," he said. Costs more Though working with a contractor costs more, Atkinson said growers should consider what they don't have to do. Workers are employees of the contractor, so growers don't need to file quarterly reports or make out their paychecks. There's no exposure because of question- able I-9 forms, and they don't need to fill out W-2 forms for people who leave. Jon Warling, who operates Mar-Jon Labor LLC in Othello, Washington, said the responsibilities of the labor contractor include recruiting, hiring, training, and supervising the workers, and completing all the employment documents. He charges growers either 17 percent of the payroll amount or a fee per acre. A contractor in Washington must be registered with the U.S. Department of Labor and also be licensed by the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries. He advised growers to check the Department of Labor and Industries's Web site to confirm that a contractor is licensed. Even a contractor 12 FEBRUARY 15, 2012 GOOD FRUIT GROWER What's good for the orchard is bad for the family tree. Delegate® WG insecticide from Dow AgroSciences uses an innovative mode of action to deliver fast knockdown and long-lasting control of codling moths — along with leafrollers and a broad spectrum of other insects — before they damage pome fruit. With Delegate, there won't be any pest reunions in the orchard this season. Just high-quality apples. Science. Yield. Success.™ who only refers workers to an employer, and doesn't employ them, needs to be licensed, Warling said. The employees must be paid by the contractor and receive a pay stub showing the total pay, pay rate, hours worked, and deductions, just as they would if they were employed by the grower. The contractor must furnish to the grower, and anyone www.goodfruit.com