Consultation with researchers in the field of agricultural labor will help craft a better bill for future consideration. We find four major areas where the new act compares unfavorably with H-2A, and we also discuss successful models for resolving farmers' labor needs. Wage Rates . This places pressures on workers to agree to productivity standards they cannot achieve, and gives growers a chance to cut qualified domestic workers from the registry who cannot, supposedly, achieve these high productivity standards. We recommend that future legislation establish standard minimum wages for individuals, with piece rates designed to encourage earnings and productivity above that.
Research indicates that workers treat housing allowances as income.
We recommend that future legislation follow the better practices within the H-2A housing provisions. We cannot expect those interested in farm work to visit employment offices to find work. This means that a job registry system designed to give job opportunities to domestic workers is unlikely to include them adequately. We recommend close work with agricultural labor experts and the Department of Labor to identify a more workable employment assignment and tracking system. One of the most important ways to make farmwork viable as a livelihood is the ability to secure continued work through the year.