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Note: This website is intended to provide general information about legal issues, crop insurance, farm policy, and other risk management issues and should not be construed as providing legal advice. It should not be cited or relied upon as legal authority. For advice about how the issues discussed here might apply to your individual situation, you should consult an attorney.
Welcome to the Maryland Risk Management Education Blog, provided by the University of Maryland Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics. This blog provides readers with information on risk management issues important to Maryland agriculture, upcoming events, and new materials that may interest readers.
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Update: Do You Have Employees, Volunteers Or Interns Working On Your Farm?
A farmer uses a hoe to cultivate a lush vegetable garden under the bright sun. This is not a substitute for legal advice. See this link here for the site’s reposting policy. Introduction Understanding whether you have employees, volunteers, contractors, interns or apprentices working on your farm is vital to managing your farm’s risk. Farmers that mistakenly identify workers can wind up violating state and federal requirements for things like minimum wage, workers’ compensa
Samantha Capaldo and Nicole Cook
6 hours ago5 min read
Which Agricultural Employers are Required to Purchase Workers’ Compensation in Maryland and Surrounding States?
A farmer is kneeling in a lush green field, holding a crate full of freshly harvested spinach. In the background, other farm workers continue to pick crops under a bright, sunny sky. This is not a substitute for legal advice. See this link here for the site’s reposting policy. Introduction Workers’ Compensation is a type of insurance that most non-agricultural employers and some agricultural employers must purchase or provide that compensates employees when they are injured
Sam Capaldo
May 54 min read
Understanding Workers’ Compensation Requirements for Employers with H-2A Workers
A farmer uses a tablet to monitor crops under a modern irrigation system in a vast green field. See this link here for the site’s reposting policy. Introduction Crop and animal production can be an inherently dangerous field, with the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimating, in 2024, over 23,000 nonfatal injuries and approximately 300 fatal injuries associated with the industries. Workers’ compensation is a type of insurance coverage purchased by employers that compensates empl
Sam Capaldo
Mar 243 min read
University of Delaware Cooperative Extension and University of Maryland to Host Free H-2A Farm Labor Workshop in Mid-Atlantic Region
Farm workers in field picking produce. Image is by JackF from Adobe Stock Photos See this link here for the site’s reposting policy. The University of Delaware Cooperative Extension, the University of Maryland Extension (UME), and the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics (AREC) will host a series of free one-day workshops titled “Exploring H-2A Farm Labor in the Mid-Atlantic Region” in Delaware, Maryland, and New Jersey. Details on dates and locations below. T
Press Release
Dec 16, 20252 min read
Maryland’s Laws for Seasonal Agricultural Employment and Winter Layoffs
Image by Edwin Remsberg By Samantha Capaldo and Nicole Cook This article is not a substitute for legal advice. See here for the site’s reposting policy. Employment, on many farms, is seasonal in nature. Because of this, agricultural employers and employees frequently ask questions about winter layoffs and unemployment insurance (UI) benefits. In general, seasonal agricultural employees are eligible for unemployment benefits when they are laid off in the winter and the farm ca
Nicole Cook
Jul 29, 20253 min read
Maryland’s New Heat Illness Prevention Standard
A thermometer against a clear blue sky displays high temperatures in Celsius and Fahrenheit, highlighting a sunny and hot day. Image from istockphoto This article is not a substitute for legal advice. See here for the site’s reposting policy. The Maryland Occupational Safety and Health (MOSH) Division of Labor and Industry published its new Heat Illness Prevention Standard as a final regulation on September 20, 2024. This new workplace safety regulation went into effect j
Nicole Cook
Apr 29, 20253 min read
Agricultural Workers’ Disaster Leave
The article is not a substitute for legal advice. See here for the site’s reposting policy. The rise in frequency and intensity of natural disasters such as hurricanes, floods, wildfires, and earthquakes emphasizes the need for businesses to provide leaves and recognize the impact of disasters on individuals and their ability to fulfill work. Disaster leave has emerged to safeguard safety and support employees after a natural disaster or emergency. This type of leave recogni
Sima Majnooni
Mar 12, 20243 min read
Labor Workshop Planned for Agricultural Employers
Image of two people talking in front of a hoop house by Edwin Remsberg The University of Maryland and the University of Delaware will host the Hiring and Retaining Farm Employees – What you Need to Know and Do workshop on January 23rd in Boonsboro, MD, and January 30th in Georgetown, DE. Both workshops will be from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm. The Jan. 23rd program will be at the University of Maryland Extension Washington County office, 7303 Sharpsburg Pike, Boonsboro, MD 21713. Th
Press Release
Dec 19, 20232 min read
Negligent Entrustment Liability for Farm Employers
Photo by Edwin Remsberg This article is not a substitute for legal advice. See here for the site’s reposting policy. The leaves are falling, which means it’s the time of year when we are sharing the road with harvesting equipment. Hopefully everyone is being careful out there. But, what if a farm worker has an accident while driving a piece of farm equipment and injures someone or something? Who could be held liable? Sounds like it’s a good time to talk about “negligent e
Nicole Cook
Oct 24, 20233 min read
Federal District Court Denies Some Arguments to Dismiss Claims Against Perdue Farms
Image of poultry houses by Livestock & Poultry Environmental Learning Center The article is not a substitute for legal advice. See here for the site’s reposting policy. A federal district court in late 2022 ruled on a motion to dismiss claims filed by a former grower of Perdue Farms, arguing that the grower was not an independent contractor but an employee of Perdue Farms. This action was one of two filed in 2022, making similar claims. The court denied several of Perdue’
Paul Goeringer
Feb 9, 20234 min read
New Department of Labor Rule Improves Protection for H-2A Workers
Image of migrant workers in a field working Image is by USDA The article is not a substitute for legal advice. See here for the site’s reposting policy. For many years, farmworkers' advocacy groups have claimed that H-2A workers need more protection. The H-2A program helps American farmers unable to hire qualified domestic workers to fill employment gaps by hiring guest workers from other countries if this employment will not adversely affect wages or working conditions of d
Sima Majnooni
Oct 31, 20222 min read
OSHA Inspections Of Farms To Include Heat Preparedness
Image from istockphoto We all know it’s hot outside. But, if you have workers on your farm, including yourself, then you should know that heat poses a particular health risk to farm workers. Heat-related safety issues are an important issue for farms of all sizes. But, if your farm is one that is large enough to be subject to federal OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) inspection, you should know that, on days where there is a heat advisory, even if OSHA
Nicole Cook
Jul 19, 20223 min read
Reduce Farm Labor Law Compliance Risk: Check Out DOL’s Online Sessions
Image by Edwin Remsberg This article is not a substitute for legal advice. See here for the site’s reposting policy. Do you have questions about Federal labor laws that apply to your farm workers? What about the H-2A Temporary Employment Certification requirements? Or, would you like to learn more about OSHA health and safety requirements for farm workers? Maybe you want a refresher on the Fair Labor Standards Act and child labor, or maybe how to comply with the Migrant a
Nicole Cook
Apr 5, 20222 min read
Negligent Entrustment Liability for Farm Employers
Image by Edwin Remsberg This article is not a substitute for legal advice. See here for the site’s reposting policy. It’s that time of year when we are sharing the road with harvesters. Hopefully everyone is being careful out there. I was recently asked about an employer’s liability if one of their farm workers causes an accident while driving a piece of farm equipment, and that made me think this might be a good time to talk about “negligent entrustment.” Employers can be
Nicole Cook
Oct 26, 20213 min read
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