Wage and Hour Division (WHD)

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SAN FRANCISCO -- The Wage and Hour Division of the U.S. Department of Labor has collected $38,938 from an Arvin grower and is distributing the money to workers owed wages by two individuals acting as farm labor contractors who hired and supervised the workers on the grower's behalf.

Grower Agri-Care voluntarily paid the back wages owed by Ray Garcia of Arvin and Juan Gutierrez of Richgrove in order to avoid the Labor Department preventing shipment of the blueberries and other crops picked by the unpaid workers. Federal law requires that migrant and seasonal workers receive pay of not less than the prevailing hourly minimum wage and holds growers jointly liable for wages owed to workers hired by farm labor contractors on their behalf.

The Wage and Hour investigation revealed that Garcia's registration as a farm labor contractor had expired in August 2001 and that he was obtaining and overseeing work contracts using Gutierrez's name and registration, for which he paid Gutierrez a percentage of any income.

Some 226 employees are due back wages, primarily for picking blueberries in the foothills East of Lamont in May and June. Employees and former employees of Ray Garcia, Juan Gutierrez or Agri-Care who believe they may be owed wages should contact the Family Resource Center in Lamont at 661-845-2725, or visit the center at 7839 Burgundy Ave. They may also contact the Los Angeles District Office of the Wage and Hour Division at 213-894-6375, extension 237.

For more information about the federal wage and hour laws, call the Department of Labor's toll-free help line at 1-866-4USWAGE (1-866-487-9243). Information is also available on the Internet at www.dol.gov.

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U.S. Department of Labor releases are accessible on the Internet at www.dol.gov. The information in this news release will be made available in alternate format (large print, Braille, audio tape or disc) from the COAST office upon request. Please specify which news release when placing your request at (202) 693-7828 or TTY (202) 693-7755. The Labor Department is committed to providing America’s employers and employees with easy access to understandable information on how to comply with its laws and regulations. For more information, please visit www.dol.gov/compliance.