Agriculture Compliance Assistance Toolkit

Here are key things employers must know when employing agricultural workers at most farms in the United States.

Wages

• Farm workers must be paid the wages promised, but never less than the federal minimum wage.
• Farm workers must be provided written information about their wages and working conditions in a language they can understand.
• Farm workers must be provided a written statement of earnings and all deductions from pay.

Safety and Health

• Any housing or transportation provided by the employer must be safe.
• Farm workers must be provided safe drinking water, toilets, and handwashing facilities at the job and at no cost.

H-2A Workers

• H-2A workers must also receive reimbursements for visa-related expenses, and payment for transportation, food, and lodging.

Farm Labor Contractors

• Farm labor contractors must register with DOL.

Learn more about how federal labor laws apply in the agricultural industry.

Guides and Overviews

• Cultivating Compliance (PDF) – A comprehensive guide to labor law compliance specifically for employers of agricultural workers.
  • Cultivar El Cumplimiento (PDF) (español) – Guía de Agricultura para la Ley Laboral Federal
• Your Next Steps as a Registered Farm Labor Contractor (FLC) (PDF)
  • Sus próximos pasos como un Contratista Laboral de Granja Registrado (PDF) (español)
• Agricultural Employer’s Pocket Guide on Youth Employment (PDF)
  • Guía De Bolsillo Para Empleadores agrícolas Sobre El Empleo De Jóvenes (PDF) (español)
• Agricultural transportation safety
• Field Sanitation Provisions of the Occupational Safety and Health Act
• H-2A: Temporary Agricultural Employment of Foreign Workers
• MSPA certificate registration resources

Checklists

• ETA housing safety and health
• OSHA housing safety and health
• Range housing safety and health
• Transportation safety
• H-2A Compliance Review: H-2A Temporary Labor Certification (TLC)

Still need guidance? Ask us. WHD provides guidance on how laws apply to specific workplace situations. Request an Opinion Letter.

• Fair Labor Standards Act poster (PDF)
  • Cartel del Salario Federal Mínimo bajo la Ley de Normas Justas de trabajo (PDF) (español)
• Agriculture under the Fair Labor Standards Act poster (PDF) – Required for most employers of farmworkers.
  • Derechos de los Trabajadores Bajo La Ley Normas Justas De Trabajo (PDF) (español)
• Migrant and Seasonal Agriculture Worker Protection Act (MSPA) poster (PDF)

  (English/español) – Required for employers of farm workers.

• H-2A Program poster (PDF) – Required for employers of workers on H-2A visas.
  • Derechos Del Empleado Bajo El Programa H-2A (PDF) (español)

Here are additional tips and resources to understand your responsibilities as an employer.

• The FLSA prohibits retaliation against any employee who has filed a complaint or cooperated in an investigation.
• Employers and employees can keep accurate records of hours on the job with the DOL-Timesheet App. It’s free and available in English and Spanish.