- Full Time:
- Yes
- Number of Workers Requested:
- 725
- Job Duties:
- Crops/Commodities: apples.
Orchard laborers needed for thinning, harvesting, and other specialized orchard tasks at employer-owned apple orchard sites. Tasks may be performed on ground level, using 10–12-foot ladders, or from a motorized platform. Workers will be primarily responsible for proper and efficient thinning and harvesting of apples. Supervisor(s) will provide instructions and directions to workers. Workers must be able to comprehend and follow instructions and communicate effectively to supervisors. Unusual, complex or non-routine activities will be supervised. Workers expected to perform basic duties in a proficient manner without close supervision.
Thinning involves manually removing fruit or buds to control the size, quality and/or quantity of mature fruit. Thinning standards may change from time to time based on block, variety, crop yield, or other company, market, or horticultural needs. Workers must possess or quickly acquire the ability to identify and remove fruit that is misshapen, damaged, and/or contains other quality problems, as directed by the Company.
Harvesting involves the manual hand harvesting of apples. Worker will attach harness, bucket, or bag and pick low hanging fruit from ground level, using ladders, or from a motorized platform. Worker will pick according to current company provided criteria, including, but not limited to, grade, color, and/or size. Worker must handle and harvest the fruit in a manner that does not bruise or damage the fruit or harm adjacent buds or fruit on the tree branches. Workers will have their fruit checked for damage and bruising. Any bruise the size of a pencil end or bigger will be counted. If the sampled bin of fruit contains 5-9 bruises a warning ticket is issued; a second warning ticket will result in a two (2) day suspension; a third warning ticket will result in termination. Warning ticket counts will reset at the end of apple harvest. Workers may also be required to examine harvested fruit in bins and sort out any fruit not meeting the specified criteria, or any foreign objects, including branches, leaves, etc.
Workers must possess or quickly acquire the ability to properly harvest apples in accordance with current company harvest standards. For apple harvest, worker will carry harness, bucket, or bag of up to 60 pounds and carefully place fruit in wooden or plastic bins measuring 47 x 47 x 24, which holds approximately 25 bushels of apples.
Workers failing to produce a sufficient number of piece rate units to earn the Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) for all hours worked during a pay period will be paid on an hourly basis at the AEWR for that pay period.
Other tasks that may be performed include planting of new trees; weeding or hoeing; tree trunk painting; loading or unloading empty apple bins by hand; distributing empty apple bins throughout the orchards; and picking up garbage within the orchard.
Employees receive a 10-minute rest break in every four hours worked. Rest breaks will be paid at the regular rate of pay, determined by dividing the total piece rate earnings for the pay period by the total hours worked in that period, exclusive of break time, or the minimum hourly rate required by law, whichever is greater.
Workers with a clean driving record (no major moving violations such as but not limited to Driving While Intoxicated or Reckless Driving) and able to obtain an insurable driver's license may drive company vehicles. Workers with appropriate licenses and a valid doctor's certificate may transport other workers.
Other tasks may include proper sanitation of hand tools, ladders, bathrooms, vehicles, other orchard equipment and living quarters. Workers will be required to follow company/federal/state/local COVID-19 or other sanitation standards.
- Job Classification:
- 45-2092.00 - Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse