Judge Blocks DOL’s Farmworker Wage Rule | Fresno News

A Fresno federal judge just struck down the Department of Labor’s new wage rules for foreign farmworkers, calling them unlawful and ordering a do-over with fairer standards that won’t undercut American farmworkers’ pay. The controversial August rule, pushed by the ag industry to cut guest worker wages and tweak housing rules, faced swift backlash from farmworker unions like UFW who warned it could slash pay by up to $7/hour. The judge sided with workers, noting the DOL couldn’t prove farmers couldn’t afford the program — especially since hiring has quadrupled in a decade. Now, DOL must rush to draft new rules, while employers face potential back-pay obligations for any wage gap between the old illegal rate and the new legal one. This win celebrates farmworkers’ vital role and reinforces that fair pay isn’t negotiable — especially for those feeding America. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/b998059192294662