The Peru Gazette

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Elise Stefanik released the following statement following the New York Farm Laborers Wage Board’s decision to lower the overtime threshold from 60 to 40 hours.

“This decision by the Farm Laborers Wage Board proves once again how out-of-touch Albany Democrats are with our agricultural community. By lowering the overtime threshold, they are jeopardizing the future of New York’s agriculture industry and putting thousands of farm laborers out of work, increasing the unemployment rate in New York and across the nation. The North Country is home to thousands of dairy farmers, apple growers, and maple producers, who work tirelessly to provide for our communities but will sadly will be forced to bear the burdens of another poor decision made in Albany.”

The Farm Laborers Wage Board voted two-to-one to recommend lowering the overtime threshold to 40 hours a week over the next decade.

In November, Stefanik sent a letter urging the New York State Farm Laborers Wage Board to postpone any consideration of reducing the overtime threshold for farm workers.

In the letter, Stefanik warned that the proposed consideration of lowering the overtime threshold from 60 hours per week would harm North Country farms, raise the labor costs by $264 million per year across the state, lead to higher unemployment, and cause the price of local products to increase.