Take advantage of all of Idaho Labor’s services, and make sure your employer is providing you with the pay and benefits you are entitled to by law.
Labor services for farmworkers
All Idaho Department of Labor offices statewide offer employment services to migrant and seasonal farmworkers, including:- An online system to register for work, search through available jobs and file for unemployment insurance
- Job referrals
- Job search workshops
- Career guidance
- Job training information
- Resource center with computers, résumé templates, Internet access, career planning software, Idaho’s Career Information System, newspapers, self-help books, videos, mail drop, fax, phones and copiers
- Information on community services
- Filing a complaint
- (For Spanish, select “Español” from the language dropdown in the upper right corner and click on Submit.)
- Labor market information
Farm labor contractor registry
Under state law, all persons performing farm labor contractor activities on behalf of migrant and seasonal farmworkers in Idaho must:
- Be licensed by the state and pay an annual licensing fee.
- Post a surety bond to cover unpaid wages.
- Carry auto insurance for all vehicles used in the farm labor contracting business.
- Carry workers’ compensation coverage for all employees.
- Provide all employees at the time of hiring full disclosure about the conditions of employment.
List of farm labor contractors licensed in Idaho.
Minimum wage coverage
The law guarantees farmworkers the state minimum wage of $7.25 an hour on all farms except for the following employees:
- The employer’s immediate family members
- Seasonal hand harvest workers paid on a piece rate basis where the employee commutes daily from a permanent residence and works less than 13 weeks a year
- Children 16 years or younger employed in hand harvest labor on the same farm as their parents
- Employees engaged in range production of livestock (cattle and sheep)
The law does not require farmworkers to be paid overtime.
The law does not require farmworkers to be paid only on an hourly basis. They can work and be paid on a piece rate basis. However, when working on a piece rate basis, employers must keep records to document that the amount earned by piece rate is not less than the state and federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour.
Contact a farmworker specialist
Farmworker specialists
Idaho Department of Labor staff located in communities with high agricultural activity conduct outreach to farmworkers.
Caldwell
Neils Tidwell/Paula Macias
4514 Thomas Jefferson St.
Caldwell, ID 83605
(208) 364-7781 ext. 3091 or 3450
Neils.Tidwell@labor.idaho.gov
Paula.Macias@labor.idaho.gov
Burley
Chet Jeppesen
127 W. 5th Street N.
Burley, ID 83318-3457
(208) 678-5518 ext. 3109
Chet.Jeppesen@labor.idaho.gov
Pocatello
Alejandro Patiño
430 N. 5th Ave.
Pocatello, ID 83205-4087
(208) 236-6710 ext. 3811
Alejandro.Patino@labor.idaho.gov
The state farmworker advocate
Dunnia Aplicano
(208) 332-3570 ext 3135
Dunnia.aplicano@labor.idaho.gov