market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: Market Farming
List archive
Re: [Market-farming] Federal Department of Labor stopped by to look around...
- From: KAKerby AT aol.com
- To: market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org
- Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Federal Department of Labor stopped by to look around...
- Date: Tue, 14 Jun 2011 09:13:36 -0400 (EDT)
I seem to recall reading something within the last year, where WA state has
decided that regular farm volunteering is a distinct no-no. People
doing regular, scheduled work on farms must be either students participating in
work/study, ie enrolled in a school AND the farm must show that their program is
an active part of their curriculum, or they are considered employees and
must be documented, paid and insured as such. I remember thinking at the
time that such a decision would almost by definition sink any CSA's, WWOOFing or
other volunteer opportunities on WA farms. But since then I haven't
heard of any farms getting busted or fined for violating that state
decision. I'm not sure I'd want to be out there testing it though.
We've gone back and forth on having volunteers working here, and that state
decision was one of the things that we run up against every time. So
far we've just had specific work parties, no more than once/month, and kept
it at that. If we bring on anyone on a recurring basis, I think we're just
about to the point of calling them employees and being done with it.
Kathryn Kerby
frogchorusfarm.com
Snohomish, WA
Ruminations - essays on the farming life at
frogchorusfarm.com/weblog.html
In a message dated 6/14/2011 6:01:33 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time,
artisanfarms AT gmail.com writes:
Re the CSA members working on the farm. This can usually be treated as an extension of a pick your own operation. The members are paying for the opportunity to have an experience on the farm. Just be sure to have a PYO rider on your farm liability policy. |
- Re: [Market-farming] Federal Department of Labor stopped by to look around..., KAKerby, 06/14/2011
Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.