WA farm labor firm fined whopping $1.25M for violations involving 5,000 workers

The Washington Department of Labor and Industries has levied its largest-ever fine against a farm labor contractor, saying a Richland business employed 5,000 in 2024 when it did not have a license.

Pacific Agri-Services LLC has appealed the $1.25 million fine. Officials could not be reached about the fine.

The business is licensed to operate and transport workers in 2025, state records show.

State investigators say Pacific Agri-Services failed to provide the farm workers it employed in 2024 with legally required forms that would have disclosed basic information about wages, the type and location of work sites and how they would be transported and housed.

“The fine in this case reflects the sheer number of workers who did not receive the information they need to make sure they are being properly paid and understand the conditions in which they will be working,” said Bryan Templeton, manager of the labor department’s employment standards program.

The fine includes $1.24 million for failing to provide 4,950 domestic workers and 26 H-2A guest workers with worker disclosure statements, $5,000 for operating without a farm labor contractor license in 2024 and $1,000 for failing to keep, preserve and/or provide records.

The investigation began with an apparently routine compliance review in August 2024.

A summary of the investigation shows the labor department contacted Pacific Agri-Services that month to schedule a compliance review. It advised officials to have invoices, a roster of workers, pay stubs and disclosure statements ready.

When the investigators arrived at the company’s offices at the Richland Airport, officials told investigators they could not access the electronic records. They advised the state to request the records through its Wyoming headquarters.

During the initial visit, the labor department visitors asked Pacific Agri-Services if it had operated as a farm labor contractor in 2024.

Company officials said no, but that they had applied for a license for the coming harvest season.

The summary of the investigation says Pacific Agri-Services was “non-cooperative’ and had to be asked several times to provide records.

The state received a partial collection of requested records in late September, but not the worker disclosure statements.

The company later provided disclosure statements for January through May 2024. The disclosure forms were either outdated or incomplete, the labor report said.

They indicated the business operated as an unlicensed farm labor contractor starting on Jan. 8, 2024.

Disclosure statements are necessary for workers to assert their rights under Washington’s workplace standards, the labor department said.

There are 250 licensed farm labor contractors in Washington. They collectively recruit, employ and transport 50,000 domestic agricultural workers in Washington each year.

State law requires farm labor contractors to pay at least minimum wage, provide safe transportation and ensure meal and rest breaks.