New federal rules to protect guest farmworkers to be implemented

FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- For decades, U.S. employers or agents who meet specific requirements can hire people from foreign countries to fill temporary agricultural jobs through the H-2A program.

In June, new rules will be put into play to serve farmworkers better.

Diego Iñiguez-Lopez with the United Farm Workers Foundation (UFW) says while the program is a great opportunity for people in search of work in the United States, not everyone will have the best experience and often times feel vulnerable

"This victory is a result of farmworkers fighting for it for years and years and advocating for increased protection," Iñiguez-Lopez said.

The U-F-W posted several stories of farmworkers sharing their personal experiences on social media.

"Operation Blooming Onion was an investigation and processed by the federal government where they identified employers using the H-2A program fraudulently to get workers in Georgia, Florida, Texas and that resulted in the death of two farm workers, sexual assault and other abuses," Iñiguez-Lopez said.

The adjustments made to the H-2A program will:

• Strengthen protections against trafficking by prohibiting employers from confiscating passports.
• Make it more difficult for employers to commit wage theft by requiring transparency.
• Strengthen workers' rights to advocate and form a union.
• Protect workers from unjust firing and retaliation
• target unlawful fees andincrease enforcement tools against abusive employees.

Iñiguez-Lopez says the UFW will continue fighting for rights and is proud of those who have been a voice.

"There are many stories of them speaking out, of them working with their co-workers and advocating successfully and this is a larger result of that," Iñiguez-Lopez said.

The new federal rules of the H-2A program go into effect on June 28.

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