Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) spoke February 15 at a press conference in Albany where lawmakers, farmers, and agricultural advocates urged Governor Hochul and Commissioner of Labor Roberta Reardon to reject the implementation of a reduction in the farm laborer overtime threshold. Hawley has spoken out against this proposal alongside agricultural professionals for months, warning that the increases it will have on the cost of doing business for farms will leave many of them with no choice but to cease operations.
Following a 2-1 vote by the Farm Laborers Wage Board on January 28 to lower the farm laborer overtime threshold from 60 hours to 40, the decision whether or not to implement this policy now rests in the hands of Governor Hochul and Commissioner Reardon.
“The end of farming as we know it in New York would be one of the greatest tragedies our state has ever seen, but it is one that would be entirely preventable,” said Hawley. “Governor Hochul and Commissioner Reardon have been made very aware of the consequences the decision to lower the overtime threshold would have, and the power now rests in their hands to decide whether they stand with our farmers and rural communities or the special interests who’ve worked to advance this proposal.”
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