Regarding the recent op-ed on farm workers (“Commentary: Farmworkers deserve same rights as other workers,” April 18), we own a small diversified u-pick orchard in southern Maine. We consider our employees more like family. Because we hire 15- to 16-year-olds during the summer and fall and pay them minimum wage, we adjust our long-term employees’ wages above minimum wage. We decided to pay our employees overtime for any hours over 40 hours a week.
We value our employees and strive to keep them coming back year after year. We are very flexible with them taking time off when they need it. We ask that they let us know in advance, if possible. They also know that we need them during the planting and harvest season. On hot or humid days, they can leave at noon if they want to.
If the business makes money at the end of the season, we pay every employee (agricultural and retail) a bonus. One employee referred to this as profit-sharing.
We value all our employees. I have heard from other businesses in town that our current and former employees love(d) working here. Are these farm bills trying to fix a problem that may not exist? Are there a few bad apples out there?
Jack McAdam
Springvale
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