USA: DOL recovers USD45.4k back wages for H-2A agriculture workers at Mt. Clifton Fruit Co. & finds violations relating to housing, health & safety
Resumen
Fecha comunicada: 2 Ago 2023
Ubicación: Estados Unidos
Empresas
Mt. Clifton Fruit Co. - EmployerAfectado
Total de personas afectadas: 55
Trabajadores migrantes e inmigrantes: ( 50 - México , Agricultura y ganadería , Gender not reported , Documented migrants ) , Trabajadores: ( 5 - Ubicación desconocida , Agricultura y ganadería , Gender not reported )Temas
Wage Theft , Precarious/Unsuitable Living Conditions , Occupational Health & SafetyRespuesta
Response sought: No
Medidas adoptadas: The investigation recovered $45K in back wages.
Tipo de fuente: Government publication
"Investigation recovers $45k in back wages from fruit company that denied dozens of agricultural workers full wages, transportation and housing,"
...
Investigative findings: The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division found the employer violated multiple requirements of the H-2A agricultural worker program by failing to do the following:
- Compensate 55 workers, 50 of whom came from Mexico, for all hours worked.
- Comply with the requirements of the agricultural job order.
- Pay the hourly adverse effect wage rates of $13.15 in 2021, $14.16 in 2022 and $14.91 in 2023.
- Comply with safety and health requirements for housing and transporting H-2A workers.
- Request a preoccupancy inspection of housing in a timely way.
- Comply with other applicable federal, state and local employment-related laws and regulations.
Back wages recovered: $45,384
Civil money penalties: $8,998
Workers affected: 55, which includes 50 H-2A program workers and five other workers
Quote: “Our investigation found the Mt. Clifton Fruit Company denied dozens of agricultural workers, many of whom traveled to the U.S. at the company’s request, safe housing and transportation, and their legally earned wages,” said Wage and Hour Division District Director Roberto Melendez in Richmond, Virginia. “In addition to recovering back wages, we assessed penalties for these deliberate violations.”...