One of the best ways you can stand in solidarity with farm workers is by advocating for legislation that improves their working and living conditions. We have created an overview of some of the current legislation that will impact farm workers. Use these tips on setting up Virtual Visits or In-district meetings with your representative.
If you would like to join NFWM on legislative visits with our farm worker partners or if you would like to have a representative of NFWM participate in a meeting with legislators related to the following bills, please contact us at farmworkeradvocacy@nfwm.org.
Introduced in the 118th Congress in the House and Senate:
H.R.4897 Sponsored by Rep. Chu, Judy [D-CA-27]
S.2501 Sponsored by Sen. Brown, Sherrod [D-OH]
This bill directs the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to promulgate a standard that requires employers to implement certain measures for protecting workers from heat stress and related illnesses or injuries. Further, if an employer cannot reduce exposure to heat stress below hazardous levels through engineering controls (e.g., heat shields and insulation) or personal protective equipment (e.g., heat reflective clothing), the employer must implement a program that mitigates such exposure through access to appropriate hydration and cool-down spaces, acclimatization policies, and periodic paid rest breaks.
Resources: Bill Factsheet from Public Citizen. AV Act Factsheet from Farmworker Justice.
Will be introduced soon in the 118th Congress in the House:
H.R.—- Sponsored by Rep. Velazquez, Nydia M. [D-NY-7]
This bill prohibits any organophosphate pesticides on food. This bill would also prohibit foods from having any residue from organophosphates, without exception and regardless of tolerances set forth by the Food and Drug Administration.
Resources: Download the One Pager on The BAN OPs Act, The BAN OPs Act Talking Points, Suggested Email Copy – English, Suggested Email Copy – Spanish.
Introduced in the 118th Congress in the House and Senate:
H.R.4579 Sponsored by Rep. Grijalva, Raúl M. [D-AZ-7]
S.2253 Sponsored by Sen. Padilla, Alex [D-CA]
This bill extends overtime pay protections to agricultural workers. The bill also repeals the exemption from overtime pay requirements for employers in various agriculture-related industries, including certain small farms, irrigation projects, sugar processing, and cotton ginning and compressing. These overtime pay requirements do not apply, as under current law, to employees who are the parent, spouse, child, or other members of the employer’s immediate family.
Resources: Download the Talking Points from NFWM and Fact Sheet from Farmworker Justice.
Immigration policy greatly impacts farm workers. Over half of the current farm worker labor are immigrants and the majority are undocumented. Current immigration policy is inadequate and leaves many farm workers vulnerable to abuse, substandard working conditions and depressed wages. Criminalizing immigrants leaves many farm workers living in constant fear of detention, deportation and being separated from their families. Immigration reform must include reasonable pathways to citizenship for workers.
While congress still debates immigration reform and what to include in current legislation, contact your congressional representatives and urge them to put farm workers first. Ask for immigration reform that includes:
- A reasonable path to citizenship for farm workers, which could include immediate green cards for farm workers.
- No E-Verify requirements for workers.
- H-2A regulations that better benefit farm workers and ensure fair wages, such as:
- Living wages
- Grievance policies and boards
- Provision for transportation reimbursements and housing
- No expansion to year-round visas under the H-2A program
- Stronger oversight of farm labor contractors (FLCs), and mutual responsibility of FLCs and growers for labor conditions on their farms
Introduced in the 118th Congress in the House
H.R. 4046 by Rep. Dr. Raul Ruiz
This bill revises labor provisions for protecting child workers, including those employed in agriculture, and increases the civil penalties for violations of such provisions and imposes new criminal penalties for violations resulting in the death or serious injury or illness of a child worker. Specifically, the bill revises the definition of oppressive child labor to prohibit the employment of children under 14 years of age and imposes new employer reporting requirements for work-related injuries or deaths of agricultural employees under the age of 18. The Department of Labor must analyze, collect, and report on data concerning children under the age of 18 who are employed in agriculture and each work-related injury, illness, or death of any such child. Labor must also revise regulations to prohibit the employment of a child under the age of 18 as a pesticide handler.
Resources: Download the CARE Act One-Pager (pdf) and CARE Act Letter Copy (pdf).
Learn More:
Watch NFWM’s webinar about being a legislative advocate.
Read about issues affecting farm workers.