In July 2024, it was reported that the Department of Labor is investigating the death of a Mexican farmworker employed by labour supplier Gracia & Sons.

While an official investigation is ongoing, a GoFundMe page set up by the family alleges the worker “succumbed to a heatstroke brought on by the severe weather conditions in North Carolina”. Reporting in WFAE on the case says temperatures were over 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius) on the day the worker died.

The GoFundMe page also alleges the company had assured the worker’s family it would cover medical, funeral and repatriation expenses, but their attempts to contact the company were unsuccessful.

Gracia & Sons has been linked to previous human rights violations, including settling a court case after being sued for labour rights violations in 2023.

In August, Business & Human Rights Resource Centre invited Gracia & Sons to respond to the article and allegations published on the GoFundMe page; disclose any measures Gracia & Sons is taking to protect workers from extreme heat; and disclose any steps taken to compensate the worker’s family for his death, including to cover medical, funeral and repatriation costs. Gracia & Sons did not respond.