INDEPENDENCE, Va. – Twenty temporary agricultural workers will be paid nearly $20,000 in back wages by a farm in Grayson County following a U.S. Department of Labor investigation.
Reyes Nature Greens LLC is paying $19,988 in back wages, and also owes $36,000 in civil money penalties.
Recommended Videos
The department’s investigation found that Reyes Nature Greens failed to comply with several H-2A requirements.
This includes paying its workers the required wage, providing secure housing and transportation, guaranteeing workers a certain number of employment hours and supplying copies of work contracts and pay statements.
“Agricultural workers are among the most vulnerable essential workers our laws protect,” said John DuMont, Wage and Hour Division District Director in Pittsburgh. “Other employers should use the outcome of this investigation as an opportunity to review their own practices to make sure they comply with the law and avoid violations like those found in this case.”
The farm also signed off on a three-year monitoring agreement.