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Advocates urge Vermont to remove farmworker wage exemptions, citing widespread low pay, unsafe housing and injuries
Summary
Migrant Justice organizers told the committee H.403 would end minimum‑wage and overtime exemptions for farmworkers, citing a 2024 survey showing a median wage of $11.67, 87% below minimum wage, widespread housing problems and frequent injuries; they urged stronger enforcement and inclusion of worker voices.
Organizers from Migrant Justice told a legislative committee that H.403 — a bill to eliminate wage and overtime exemptions for agricultural workers and to require a housing survey — is needed to address long‑standing labor and housing problems faced by immigrant dairy workers in Vermont.
Aveli Lubenda, an organizer with Migrant Justice, described workers routinely putting in 60–80 hours a week without overtime, living in crowded, pest‑infested housing with broken appliances and, in some cases, no hot water. She said workers often fear retaliation and urged that any…
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