Washington orchard violates foreign farmworkers’ rights

WhatsAppWhatsAppFacebookFacebookTwitterTwitterPinterestPinterestRedditRedditGmailGmailShareShare

WashingtonWashington Washington – A federal inquiry determined that a central Washington orchard operator shirked its legal obligations, risked workers’ safety and health, and verbally harassed them. As a result, the operator is temporarily prohibited from employing foreign farmworkers through a well-known visa program.

Welton Orchards and Storage LLC, situated in East Wenatchee, was fined $64,120 for violating the H-2A agricultural worker program, which permits foreign nationals to work temporarily in the U.S. agriculture industry. The U.S. Department of Labor estimates that 3 million migrant and seasonal farmworkers are employed nationwide.

Also collected by the department’s Wage and Hour Division was $7,485 in outstanding wages for 26 workers.

ALso Read: Top 5 Countries With The Worst Human Rights Violations In 2022

According to Thomas Silva, district director of the Wage and Hour Division in Seattle, “Welton Orchards and Storage bullied and threatened workers and placed their livelihoods in jeopardy as they violated various rules of a federal program created to aid the nation’s agricultural businesses.”

An inquiry for comment was not immediately answered by Welton Orchards.

Related Posts

The Northwest Justice Project, the state’s largest publicly funded legal aid program, and federal investigators discovered that Welton Orchards and Storage LLC frequently threatened to “send them back to Mexico” and used abusive and offensive language when speaking to H-2A workers, according to the department.

According to the news release, the corporation didn’t have working smoke alarms in the employee accommodation and instead provided mattresses on the floor in place of beds. Transport to and from the workers’ home countries as well as various visa-related costs were not covered by the corporation, in violation of the law.

In addition, Welton said that when employers signed contracts with workers, the workers would receive a specific number of hours. The news release noted that despite promising to provide all those hours, the corporation failed to do so, leaving workers for months at a time unable to pay for the basics.

According to the federal government, Welton first refused to cooperate with the inquiry but eventually provided inadequate documents that investigators later augmented with data gleaned from employees.

The Northwest Justice Project’s director of advocacy, Abigail G. Daquiz, expressed gratitude for the department’s ability to enforce regulations to ensure that worker rights are upheld and companies are held accountable.

In Wenatchee, advocates for the Northwest Justice Project helped close the communication gap between staff members and the division during the investigation, according to Daquiz, giving the organization access to the solid community connections the group has built.

Even in the midst of exploitation, workers frequently feel hesitant to divulge their knowledge to governmental organizations, according to Daquiz.

According to the expert, because of their brief stays in the country, H-2A workers are particularly prone to exploitation, trafficking, and abuse. Daquiz claimed that she has observed businesses replacing local labor with H-2A visa holders who are easier to manage.

Read: Top 10 Countries That Offer The Best Work-Life Balance in 2022

Within the last two fiscal years, the Wage and Hour Division has looked at 735 cases alleging H-2A infractions. In that period, it has handed out $9.5 million in civil fines and collected $9 million in back wages for more than 13,000 employees.

Callers are assured of secrecy, and the division offers a search tool for anyone who believes they may be missing wages.

About Aparajita Das

Aparajita loves to share Political-based niche news articles. She is a passionate writer learning about the history of all the regions.

Aparajita Das

Aparajita loves to share Political-based niche news articles. She is a passionate writer learning about the history of all the regions.

Recent Posts

New Exit Rule for Expats in Kuwait: Key Details Inside

Kuwait is implementing a significant policy change: expatriate private sector employees must now secure an official exit permit from their…

June 11, 2025

Ria Launches Digital Wallet for Unbanked Migrant Workers—Know the Benefits

Ria Money Transfer has launched its Ria Wallet app which aims to assist one of the most underserved populations of…

June 11, 2025

50 Years of Australia’s Racial Discrimination Act – What Does It Really Mean Today?

The 50th anniversary of the Racial Discrimination Act 1975 is one of the highlight events in Australia’s human rights history.…

June 11, 2025

Google Layoffs Ahead? Buyouts Offered to Employees—Know the Details

Reports indicate that Google is preparing to conduct another round of layoffs, this time voluntarily offering exit packages (buyouts) to…

June 11, 2025

The New Career Currency: Why Top Talent Now Demands Both Big Salaries AND Work-Life Balance

The labor market in India is modernizing the expectations for any employment where paychecks were a major consideration, workers now…

June 10, 2025

ITR Filing 2025: Is Landlord’s PAN Mandatory to Claim HRA?

For Assessment Year 2025-26, the Income Tax Department has broadened its disclosure requirements for salaried taxpayers who are claiming House…

June 10, 2025