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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
Labor Webinars Planned for Agricultural Employers
Image of flyer for webinars. Image created by Christin Redding with photo credit in flyer of tractor pulling seeder in field by Edwin Remsberg. See here for the site’s reposting policy. The University of Maryland and the University of Delaware will host the Hiring and Retaining Farm Employees – What you Need to Know and Do four webinars every Friday in April at noon, starting on April 5th and ending on April 26. The free webinars will cover developing an employee handbook f
Paul Goeringer
Mar 5, 20241 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
Minimum Wage Rates for Youth Workers
Photo Credit - Edwin Remsberg The article is not a substitute for legal advice. See here for the site’s reposting policy. As schools let out for the summer, farm employers may be hiring more youth workers. Employers should be aware of the minimum wage rules that apply to minors in their state, and understand certain worker classifications when making hiring decisions. Worker Classification Independent Contractors Employee misclassification is a common employer mistake. One p
Megan Todd
Jun 14, 20225 min read
New Publication Release Related to Crisis Management and Hiring Employees
Two people talking at a table. Image by Edwin Remsberg See here for the site’s reposting policy. A new publication from the University of Maryland can assist in understanding crisis management issues and strategies to make sure agricultural operators understand how to hire new employees properly. Developing Proactive Legal Strategies for Handling Protesters and Hiring Employees to Limit Legal Issues on Your Farm provides a starting point for those feeling overwhelmed with t
Paul Goeringer
Jan 5, 20221 min read
Interested in H-2A Farmworkers? Time to Get Started
Photo Credit Edwin Remsberg This is not a substitute for legal advice. See here for the site’s reposting policy. As it becomes increasingly difficult to find domestic farm labor, many farm employers are considering whether foreign workers, able to temporarily work in the United States via an H-2A visa, are the solution. Although popular, the H-2A visa program can be difficult for employers to navigate. Given the need for foreign farm labor and the problems with the H-2A vis
Sarah Everhart
Dec 14, 20213 min read
Prevailing Wages and Practices - Maryland Agricultural Employment Surveys
Farm workers harvesting grapes. Photo Credit: Edwin Remsberg This is not a substitute for legal advice. See here for the site’s reposting policy. The Maryland Department of Labor (MDOL) has started conducting the 2021 Agricultural Employment Surveys (AES), beginning May 17th and continuing until early October. The results will provide an inside look at Maryland’s prevailing wages and employment practices for agricultural jobs within the state by sector - useful information fo
Megan Todd
May 18, 20213 min read
Updates to the Paycheck Protection Program and COVID-19 Sick Leave
Photo Credit Edwin Remsberg The article is not a substitute for legal advice. See here for the site’s reposting policy. On December 27, 2020, President Donald Trump signed into law the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (the Act). The Act contains many topics of interest to the farm community, this post, however, will focus on the impacts to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the federally mandated sick and family medical leave. To read more about previous versions
Sarah Everhart
Jan 12, 20213 min read
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