H-2A Workers Increasingly Important Source of Labor Employment

Over the last decade, employers have increasingly turned to the H-2A Temporary Agricultural Workers Program to fill temporary agricultural jobs in Ohio and the country. While all farmworkers are at risk of exploitation, H-2A workers face an even higher risk because their right to reside in the United States is tied to working with a specific employers and they have no guarantees they can return to the U.S. after the end of their job contract. Since 2017, LAWO has focused its outreach efforts on H2A workers, building trust and increasing access to our services. We have added two outreach workers to allow us to begin outreach visits earlier in the year and to visit workers more than once. We also frequently provide educational events to workers regarding their rights as H2A workers.