The Ag Workforce Development Council has announced the agenda for the virtual Labor Roadshow IV. A series of five one to two-hour webinars will be held online through Zoom at noon on November 18, 19, 20, 23, and 24. Cost is $55 per person to attend all five webinars and to receive links to the webinar recordings. Register at tinyurl.com/LaborRoadshowIV.
New York Labor Road Show IV is an opportunity to learn about regulation changes and how to best position your business for compliance and success. Several important changes to state regulations occurred in 2020 that farm employers need to understand, including which employees are covered by overtime and day-of-rest and which can be designated as family members or exempt employees.
Agenda
Noon to 1:30 PM EDT | November 18, 2020
FLFLPA overtime and day-of-rest updates
- Definition of farm laborers and family employees
- FLFLPA: Overtime exempt managers and employees
- Richard Stup, Cornell Agricultural Workforce Development
- Charles Palmer, Michael Best Law Firm
Noon to 1:30 PM EDT | November 19, 2020
New NY permanent sick leave law, and insurance requirements: Paid family leave, disability, and worker’s compensation
- Richard Stup, Cornell Agricultural Workforce Development
- Neil Gilberg, Employer Advocate, NY Worker’s Compensation Board
Noon to 2:00 PM EDT | November 20, 2020
Union education
- Managing a union drive and reminder about what farms can and cannot say
- Charles Palmer, Michael Best Law Firm
- FLFLPA: Update about union membership for family members or supervisors
- John Wirenius, NY PERB
Noon to 1:30 PM EDT | November 23, 2020
FLFLPA employee housing requirements and sexual harassment prevention
- New housing inspection requirement for small-scale migrant labor, plus other housing-related topics
- Steven Martin, Chief Sanitarian, NYS Department of Health
- Jeanette Lazelle and Caylin Gwise, Division of Immigrant Policies and Affairs, NYS Department of Labor
- Sexual harassment prevention training reminder and resources
- Libby Eiholzer, Cornell Cooperative Extension
Noon to 2:00 PM | November 24, 2020
COVID-19 and Farm Workforce Health (2 hours)
- Outlook for 2021: Treatments, vaccines, and COVID-19 prevention. A virologist’s perspective
- Kali Kniel, Ph.D., Professor of Microbial Food Safety, University of Delaware
- COVID-19 prevention best practices
- Elizabeth Bihn, Ph.D., Cornell Institute for Food Safety
- Getting buy-in from employees
- Farm managers who dealt with the disease successfully
- Summary of manager input, Richard Stup, Ag Workforce Development
Ag Workforce Development Council member organizations include: NEDPA, Cornell Cooperative Extension, Cornell Agricultural Workforce Development, Cayuga Marketing, AgriMark, Upstate Niagara, New York Farm Bureau, New York Vegetable Growers Association, New York Animal Ag Coalition, Agri-Placement Services, New York Horticultural Society, Dairy Farmers of America, Farm Credit East, Gray & Oscar LLC.
