Wage Rate 2011

3/1/2011

NORTH CAROLINA GROWERS
ASSOCIATION INC.


2011 H-2A HOURLY WAGE RATE IS $9.30 PER HOUR

Beginning on Tuesday, March 1, 2011, the guaranteed hourly minimum wage rate for H-2A workers and US workers doing the same work described in the comprehensive job description certified (approved) by the US Department of Labor will be $9.30 per hour for every worked. NCGA members who have already received their first H-2A worker, and in some cases local US workers, and have been paying an hourly wage rate of $9.59 per hour CAN/SHOULD lower the hourly wage rate to $9.30 per hour. NCGA staff have disclosed to the H-2A workers during orientation and the US applicants during the telephone interview that the wage rates would be going down in late February or early March. If you already have workers on your farm that have been earning the $9.59 hourly rate you should notify the workers in writing that the wage rate is $9.30 per hour as of March 1 (see enclosure). NCGA wrote language into the work agreement/contract that authorizes you to lower the wage rate to $9.30 effective March 1st.


INCREASED LOCAL US REFERRAL ACTIVITY / INTEREST

It will not come as a shock that more local US workers are applying for and being referred to your farm jobs with the significant increase in wages. The staff at NCGA is thorough and deliberate in describing the unpredictability, challenges and difficulties of your farm jobs. Nevertheless, some still want to try.
Generally, the end result is the same - most either do not show up at all, have transportation barriers they cannot overcome, or try the work and quit. NCGA staff will be glad to assist you with the US applicants if you call. There are reporting requirements that you/we must meet to avoid severe civil money penalties. Whenever an H-2A or local US worker quits, abandons, or is terminated for lawful job related cause, YOU MUST call NCGA immediately to report it so that we can update our records and report to the appropriate state and federal agencies in accordance with their strict deadline (2 days). If you don't report it to NCGA you may be required by the Obama US DOL to write a check for the 3/4 contract hour guarantee. This has already happened to a large vegetable grower in southern Georgia based on a simple misunderstanding and it will likely end up costing the farm a huge amount of money.

MIGRANT HOUSING INSPECTIONS

Do not forget that your migrant housing must be inspected and approved 35 days before your date of need. If you don't make the deadline you may not receive your workers on time.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns on any issues please call the office in Vass at 910.245.2969.

Thank you,
Stan


Box 399 « Vass, North Carolina 28394 • Ceneral@ncgrovrers.org • (910) 245-2969 • Fax (910) 245~3891


Dear Valued Farm worker,

As of March 1st , 2011, the guaranteed hourly minimum wage for the H-2A work


agreement is going down from $9.59 per


hour to $9.30 per hour. This was done by the US Department of Labor via publication of the 2011 wage rates in the Federal Register on March 1st. The US government sets the wage rates - NOT the farmer- and NOT FLOC. If you have any questions please call the NCGA at (910) 245-2969.


Estimado trabajador agricultor,

A partir del 1° Marzo del 2011, la tarifa salarial minima por hora para el contrato de trabajo H-2A baja de $9.59 por hora a $9.30 por hora. Este cambio fue hecho por el Departamento del Trabajo de los EE.UU. a traves de la publicacion de la Tarifa Salarial
del 2011 en el Registro Federal el 1° de 1 Marzo del 2011. El gobierno de los EE.UU. establece las tarifas salariales - NO el empleador NI el sindicato FLOC. Si tiene alguna pregunta, por favor llame a la Asociacion (NCGA) al telefono (910) 2452969.







Written by: Stan Eury

Posted on: Wednesday Mar 2 2011