Open Farm Employment Law Week

You deserve easy-to-understand farm law solutions.

Are you wondering if it is legal for your for-profit farm or ranch to have volunteers? Or maybe you want to know if you can pay your employees with housing, bacon, or broccoli. No matter what your farm employment law question is, you deserve easy-to-understand farm law solutions. Our Open Farm Employment Law Week is created to do just that: provide you with solutions to the farm law and risk management questions that matter the most to you – all at absolutely no cost. 

What is Open Farm Employment Law Week?

• Open Farm Employment Law Week is one week of FREE Farm Commons educational employment law resources and programming. The goal is to provide all members of the agricultural community with an opportunity to receive free, easy-to-understand farm law resources so that they can get the solutions they need for their farm and ranch businesses, and build community along the way.

When is Open Farm Employment Law Week?

• Open Farm Employment Law Week is September 18 – 23, 2023.

What resources are available for free during Open Farm Employment Law Week?

•  Selected Essentials in Farm Employment Law for Your State. This groundbreaking, comprehensive resource provides an authoritative, easy-to-understand overview of major farm employment laws in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.
• Farmers’ Guide to In-Kind Wages. This guide provides a comprehensive understanding of the rules on paying in-kind wages to workers on your farm, including taxes, valuation, and health and safety regulations.
• Farmers’ Guide to Hiring Obligations. Explore the legal logistics behind minimum wage, overtime, wages in the form of salary, and workers’ compensation programs related to farm and ranch businesses.
• Farmers’ Legal Guide to Intern and Volunteer Programs. This guide provides you with what you need to know to run a legally-compliant internship or volunteer program on your farm.
• Farmers’ Guide to Classifying Workers. Determine if your farm workers are employees, interns, volunteers, or independent contractors in the eyes of federal law.
• Revisiting Paying Wages as Salary on the Farm and Ranch.  This 25-minute podcast episode explores the details of overtime and salary payments.

What webinars are available for free during Open Farm Employment Law Week?

• Exploring H-2A as a Workforce Solution for Your Operation: The H-2A visa program makes it possible for farmers to bring in citizens of other countries for agricultural work in the United States. With a tight labor market, the visa program is experiencing a lot of growth – farmers who have never considered it before are taking a closer look. Register today and explore whether the H-2A visa program is potentially a solution for your farm or ranch’s workforce needs from a legal and practical perspective. This webinar is scheduled for September 18, 2023, at 11 AM CT / 12 PM ET. Register here. 

How can I participate?

Individuals, institutions, and organizations around the nation are welcome to join and promote Open Farm Employment Law Week. Participation is free and open to all. There are many ways to contribute! Here are some suggested ways to get started:

• Share this page with your community and invite them to check out our resources!
• Attend and Participate in the Exploring H2A webinar and encourage community members to register as well.
• Engage in conversation with the farmers and ranchers in your community about our Open Farm Employment Law Week.
• Promote #FarmCommonsOFELWeek in your community and social networks.

Will you have more Open Farm Law Resource weeks?

YES! This fall and winter, be on the lookout for four additional Farm Law Resource Weeks. Our upcoming resource weeks will highlight farm law resources relating to business structures, land leasing, and insurance and liability.

How can I sign-up to receive more information about the upcoming farm law resource weeks?

Contact us via this link or send an email to info@farmcommons.org.