Assemblyman Marc W. Butler (R,I,C – Newport) today voted against A. 1867, which will drastically affect the landscape of New York’s agricultural industry. This bill establishes the Farmworkers Fair Labor Practices Act, which amends several labor laws in regards to the amount of hours a farm worker is required to work and how much they are to be paid.
“The agricultural industry is one of the hardest working industries in New York state. Farm laborers work long hours so the crops can be harvested and brought to stores for New Yorkers to purchase and enjoy. To legislate this industry, which is already vastly regulated, will only place an unnecessary burden on the small farms that encompass Upstate New York,” said Butler.
The Farmworkers Fair Labor Practices Act contains the following provisions:
- Any farm worker who works more than eight hours per day shall be paid a rate equal to time-and-a-half for hours worked over eight;
- All agricultural employees shall be eligible for unemployment insurance benefits; and
- Farm workers shall be entitled to receive disability benefits from their employer.
“The farming industry is feeling the financial burden of the poor economy, just like every other industry in New York state. The last thing that the Legislature should be doing is making that burden even worse through increased regulation. With only a couple weeks left in this legislative session, I am hopeful that my colleagues in the state Legislature will work together to pass legislation that will help New York families and small businesses instead of continuing to hinder their progress,” concluded Butler.