There are more than 250 licensed farm labor contractors in the state providing labor for agricultural employers. The contractors recruit, employ, and transport an estimated 50,000 domestic and foreign workers in Washington each year.

State law requires contractors to pay at least minimum wage, provide safe transportation, and ensure meal and rest breaks for workers. The contractors are also required to have a license so the farm owners and workers know the contractor’s legal obligations.

Alerted by a tip, an L&I investigation found that Eagle Labor Contractors operated without a license, failed to provide workers with complete disclosure statements, transported workers without a license, and failed to provide a surety bond, which gives workers a recourse if the contractor fails to meet its obligations. As a result, they face L&I fines of $138,250.

“A properly licensed farm labor contractor prevents workers from being exploited,” said Bryan Templeton, the L&I’s Employment Standards Program manager. “If they’re licensed, farm labor contractors know the state requirements they must meet. This is a vital protection for the workers, regardless of their immigration status.”

Failing to provide a disclosure statement is the most serious of the violations. These statements spell out the work location, the type of crops, what the work is, specifics about transportation and housing, and what workers will earn.

Without a disclosure statement, a worker might not know the agreed upon wages or may be paid below the state minimum wage.

“A disclosure statement is the worker’s verification of how much the employer will pay and what services they will provide the worker,” Templeton said.

Consent agreement

Under an agreement with L&I, Eagle Labor Contractors will be licensed to perform work in Washington as long as the company pays off the fines in four payments by March 31, 2025. Any missed payments will result in the total balance being due immediately, as well as the possibility of losing their license.

Connecting farms and workers

L&I sent a message to farm owners last month cautioning them to work only with licensed farm labor contractors. The issue comes up each fall because of the demand for workers to help with harvest. In some cases, working with unlicensed contractors has left workers stranded, without housing or transportation, while farm owners still face the challenge of harvesting a crop.

The easiest way to find out if a contractor is licensed is to go to L&I’s farm labor contractor verification web page.