Newhouse: Ag Overtime Change Will Make It Harder To Farm In Washington

Starting January 1^st, farm workers in Washington will get paid overtime once they cross 55 hours a week. The change is thanks to Senate Bill 5172, which will stair step overtime requirements over the next three years.

Representative Dan Newhouse, chair of the Western Caucus, said between supply chain issues, challenges getting products to market and the annual struggle of water and weather, this change will only make farming in Washington more difficult. Newhouse, a central Washington farmer himself, said Ag labor is at a critical stage, since there are more job openings than people to fill them.

“Putting into place overtime requirements, restricting the amount of time individuals can work at any given week we already have a shortage of workers so it’s going to be a really difficult season for people to try to make up for that shortage that we already have.”

Newhouse added when the legislation was under consideration in Olympia, not only did farmers express concerns about overtime rules, but farm workers were very vocal in their opposition to the legislation.

“I’m working hard here in Congress to try to help reform some of our Ag labor laws, but the policies that are being put upon us by the Legislature and the Governor are just going to make farmers jobs a lot harder this year.”

Click Here to learn more about Senate Bill 5172.

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