Think Beyond The Label Jobs

Temporary Need: 06/20/24 - 10/15/24. Ten (10) full-time, seasonal, temporary Orchard Workers needed. Requirements: this job requires a minimum of three (3) months of prior experience working in a tree fruit orchard, handling both manual and machine tasks associated with commodity production and harvest activities. Workers must be able to perform manual as well as mechanized activities with accuracy and efficiency. Must be able to lift/carry 60 lbs. Hours: 40 hours/week, Mon-Sat. 8:00 am. - 3:30 pm. Wage is $16.63/hour. Location: Work will be performed in Genola and Payson Utah. Duties: Crops/Commodities: Peaches, sweet cherries, tart cherries. Harvest Peaches: Quality is essential. Workers must be physically able to pick tree fruit, most of which is done from ladders, with lower branches being picked from ground. Picked fruit is placed in a metal-framed canvas covered picking bucket with canvas straps that slip over the head and rest on the shoulders. Filled bucket, weighing up to 20 lbs., is emptied into bulk bins. When necessary, workers are required to handle and pick from ladders up to 12 ft. in length and weighing 20 to 40 pounds. Worker places ladder firmly against or within tree in a secure position so as not to break limbs or knock off fruit and to prevent slipping or falling. All fruit must be handled with care to avoid bruising. Each tree will be picked according to instructions given each day by the orchard foreman. Workers must be able to differentiate between colors accurately in order to perform color-specific picking. Must be able to sort out fruit with defects. Keep the work area clean and safe by keeping dropped fruit away from the bin so that you do not slip when emptying your bucket. Company supervisors will explain and demonstrate if necessary picking requirements to all workers at the start of the season and as needed thereafter to ensure quality standards. Care must be taken when picking so as not to damage or bruise fruit. Workers must be able to pick and dump fruit without stem pulls, punctures, bruising or other damage which diminishes quality. Field supervision monitors workers to ensure fruit is not bruised in picking. Observation of bruised, damaged or cull fruit by the supervisor, or as indicated on the pick quality report will result in a written disciplinary notice. A written disciplinary notice may occur when a bin is inspected and a significant number of culls bruised or damaged fruit are found by the supervisor. Workers who fail to perform their duties in a timely and proficient manner will be provided up to three warnings, and will be coached/instructed regarding how to work faster and more efficiently. Upon issuance of the third warning the employee may be terminated. Harvest Sweet Cherries and Tart Cherries: Workers must be able to handle ladders which are 12ft. in length and weigh 40 lbs. while managing a picking basket/bucket that weighs approximately 20 lbs. Pickers are required to pick the fruit by leaving the stems attached with their fingers and by placing the harvested fruit at the bottom of the basket/bucket. Great care must be taken to ensure that the fruit is harvested and placed into the basket/bucket so as to not bruise or damage the fruit. Picking will be performed by color, or color and size as well as by defects which would render the fruit unmarketable. Such defects include but are not limited to bird pecks, limb rub, splits and sunburn. The harvest supervisor will show all harvesters the correct way to pick cherries to reach the quality objectives of the company. Thinning: Thinning is a manual process used to control the size and fruit quality of grown fruit. Ability to pick up, use and safely handle a 12 foot orchard ladder weighing approximately 40 lbs. is necessary for performance of thinning tasks. This process requires the employee to remove, in some cases but not limited to, the smallest fruit blossom, bud and/or identifiable fr uit from within a cluster of other fruits. Workers will be expected to be able to identify and remove fruit that is misshapen, damaged and/or with other quality problems as directed by supervisors. Pruning: Pruning numerous varieties of peach and cherry trees according to established company procedures based on the difference in the treatment of different varieties. Work will be performed on trees for long periods of time using a variety of pruning equipment including hand pruners, pneumatics (consisting of an 8-foot pole while dragging an airline), hand loppers, hand saws and 12-foot ladders. Occasionally workers may be required to use chain saws and other mechanized equipment in pruning activities. Workers pruning peach and cherry trees may be required to selectively prune only trees of a certain size as instructed by the supervisor. Workers will gather pruned branches from area and stack for disposal. Terms and conditions of employment: All tools, supplies and equipment necessary to perform the duties assigned will be provided at no cost or deposit to the worker. Workers must have or will be trained in USDA Gap certification standards. Workers are required to keep all property, housing, and farm buildings clean, and must adhere to all safety rules as instructed by the supervisor; employee must be willing to perform tasks capably and efficiently without close supervision; absences from work and/or failure to perform required tasks will not be tolerated; must be willing and able to live and work singly or in small groups of workers in isolated areas for extended periods of time; the job entails working with farm machinery such as tractors and harvesting equipment; will work outdoors in all types of weather and occasional exposure to hazards such as poisonous snakes; must be able to provide employment eligibility documentation (I9 verification) upon hire. The employer will provide, at no cost to the worker, Workers' Compensation coverage or private insurance which is equal to Workers' Compensation laws for comparable employment. Applicants that have not worked in crop harvesting during the past twelve (12) months, up to two (2) references will be required. The employer guarantees to offer the worker employment for a total number of work days equal to at least 3/4's of the total work period beginning with the first workday after the arrival of the worker at the place of employment or advertised contractual first day of need. Whichever is later to occur, and ending on the expiration date specified. If the worker completes 50% of the work contract period, the employer shall pay the worker the cost incurred by the worker for transportation and daily subsistence from the place from which the worker has come to work for the employer. Daily subsistence will be provided at a rate of $15.88 per day during travel to a maximum of $59 per day with receipts. The offered wage equals or exceeds the highest of the prevailing wage that is issued and determined by DOL for the time period the work is performed (or whichever is the highest pay rate). This job is in connection with a future H-2A labor certification application.