Regulatory, Compliance & Labor
Farm Labor Law Guide
A reference guide to farm labor rules covering hiring, pay records, young workers and housing, written for owners and managers who employ family, seasonal or hired help.
GuideRegulatory, Compliance & LaborFree PDF
The steps on this page
- Decide who counts as an employee on your farm
- Confirm worker eligibility paperwork is complete
- Review wage and overtime rules for agriculture
- Check rules for workers under eighteen
- Note rules for seasonal and migrant workers
- Keep time and pay records in one place
- Review housing standards for provided quarters
- Post required notices where workers can read them
How to use this guide
Walk a new hand through the steps once, then let them use the page on their own. Add your own notes as you learn what works.
Where to check the details
This sheet is a general template, so confirm specifics with your own manuals, labels and local rules. For current official guidance, start with U.S. Department of Labor and OSHA.
For more in this area, see the farm and ranch safety info. Between chores, farm.FM has farm humor, including Dairy Farm Heifers Enter the Labor Market With Better Prospects Than College Graduates, and agribusiness farm stories.