Wage and Hour Division (WHD)

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SAN FRANCISCO -- Officials of the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division and the Nisei Farmers League signed an agreement today committing to cooperative efforts designed to help growers, farm labor contractors, packing sheds and others comply with U.S. labor laws.

"One of Secretary Chao's most important goals is to ensure that employers understand how to follow the letter and spirit of our nation's labor laws," said George Friday, regional administrator in San Francisco for the department's Wage and Hour Division. "This agreement formalizes a decade-long relationship which has been very beneficial for both farm workers and their employers in the agricultural community."

Under the terms of the agreement, the Nisei Farmers League will invite Wage and Hour staff to participate in its meetings, conferences, seminars and training sessions to discuss the requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act, the requirements applicable to temporary agricultural migrant workers in the U.S. under H-2A visas, and the field sanitation regulations.

In addition, the League will encourage its members to conduct meetings with their employees and farm labor contractors at the beginning of the harvest season to discuss the applicable laws and monitor their operations for compliance.

The Wage and Hour Division agrees to provide staff and materials for training, establish a liaison who can verify the status and authorization of farm labor contractors to legally do business, and to respond to complaints, as appropriate, submitted by members of the League.

"We believe that sharing a common goal of providing information and educational assistance to agricultural employers will greatly benefit the League's members, farmworkers and the community," said Friday.

For more information about the laws applicable to the employment of farmworkers, call the department's toll-free help line 1-866-4USWAGE (1-866-487-9243) or the Wage and Hour's Sacramento office at 916-978-6123. Information is also available on the Internet at www.wagehour.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.