Department of Labor debars labor contractor who threatened, intimidated farmworkers; assesses $62K in penalties for abuses of agricultural workers

Summary:

The U.S. Department of Labor has debarred Valentino Lopez, a North Carolina farm labor contractor, from employing temporary non-immigrant agricultural workers for three years and imposed a $62,531 civil money penalty. This action was taken after investigators found numerous violations of the H-2A program, including confiscating workers' passports, failing to pay wages, and charging workers fees to participate in the program. The investigation also recovered $58,039 in wages owed to 72 workers. The Wage and Hour Division urges agricultural employers to take proactive steps to ensure their labor contractors comply with regulations, and provides compliance assistance resources and a toll-free helpline for employers and workers to use.