Farm Laborers Wage Board affirms lower threshold of overtime for farmworkers

FILE – In this Aug. 26, 2020 file photo, a farmer discs over a corn field on at a farm north of Woodward, Iowa. The corn was damaged beyond salvage by the recent derecho. Thanks to the government paying nearly 40% of their income, U.S. farmers are expected to end 2020 with higher profit than 2019 and the best net income in seven years, the Department of Agriculture said in its latest farm income forecast. Farmers faced challenges throughout 2020 that included the impact of trade disputes; low prices that drove down cash receipts and weather difficulties. (Bryon Houlgrave/The Des Moines Register via AP File)

by: Brandon Kyc

Posted: Jan 29, 2022 / 09:00 AM EST

Updated: Jan 29, 2022 / 09:00 AM EST

NEW YORK (WETM) — The Farm Laborers Wage Board made a decision today to recommend lowering the overtime threshold for farmers in New York State.

The threshold, currently set at 60 hours a week, is being recommended to be lowered to 40 hours per week overtime over the next decade.

This comes despite 70% of the testimony made by farmers and farmworkers asking for overtime to stay at 60 hours.

According to the Department of Labors website, there were three resolutions adopted.

The resolutions go as the following:

Resolution One

The overtime threshold for farm laborers, which is currently set at 60 hours, be reduced to 40 hours.

Resolution Two

The reduction of the overtime threshold from 60 to 40 hours be phased in over 10 years with reductions of four hours on a biannual basis.

Resolution Three

The phase-in schedule will begin on January 1, 2024 with the threshold set at 56 hours; on January 1, 2026, with the threshold set at 56 hours; on January 1, 2028, with the threshold set at 48 hours; on January 1, 2030, with the threshold set at 44 hours; on January 1, 2032, with the threshold set at 40 hours.