Agricultural Worker Rights
Advocates for Basic Legal Equality, Inc. welcomes you to Ohio. ABLE is a nonprofit law office that offers free and confidential civil legal assistance to agricultural workers throughout the state. If you encounter any issues with your employment and need assistance navigating the situation, contact us at 419-930-2555 or text our outreach team at 419-469-7161. The information you share with us is confidential.
This information is published as an educational resource and is not legal advice.
Employment
The Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act (AWPA) is a federal farmworker protection law. Recruiters, growers, and crew leaders must comply with this law when they recruit and hire workers. Learn more.
Field Sanitation
Under the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations, most agricultural workers have a legal right to basic health and safety accommodations while working in the fields. Learn more.
Housing
All agricultural workers and their family members have the right to decent and safe housing. Each person who owns or controls housing provided to migrant agricultural workers must ensure that the facility complies with the federal and state safety and health standards covering that housing. Learn more.
Discrimination
You have the right to work in an environment free of discrimination, retaliation, and sexual harassment! Learn more.
H-2A Jobs
The H-2A program allows agricultural employers to hire workers from other countries on H-2A visas it the employer can prove there is a shortage of domestic workers. The employment protections available to H-2A workers also apply domestic workers who perform the same agricultural worker. Stay tuned for more information.
Sexual Harassment
Sexual harassment is a form of discrimination that violates a worker's civil rights. Learn what sexual harassment is, what it looks like, what to do if you are a victim, and how to report. Learn more.
Education
Every child living in the U.S. has a right to free public school education through high school. The right to education applies to all children equally, both documented and undocumented, as well as citizens and permanent residents. Learn more.
Identity Theft
Identity theft is more prevalent now than ever before. Learn what identity theft is, how to minimize your risk and protect yourself, and how to report identity theft if your information gets stolen. Learn more.
Taxes
If you work in the U.S., you most likely need to report your earnings to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The process by which you report your wages is by filing a yearly tax return. Stay tuned for more information.