Equitable Benefits Amendments to the Sugar Act

Summary

Equitable Benefits Amendments to the Sugar Act of 1948 - Requires the minimum wage of sugarworkers to be determined by the Secretary of Agriculture after an investigation and apportunity for public hearings. Specifies that a tripartite panel composed of equal representation from: (1) producers of sugar beets and sugar cane; (2) persons employed on the farm as sugarworkers; and (3) the general public shall conduct such hearings and make specified findings required to be used by the Secretary, along with a required annual audit of each producing area, in his determination of a minimum fair and reasonable annual wage. Requires the minimum wage to be above both the poverty level and a cost of living productivity factor to be calculated by specified procedures. Requires that hourly wage and price rate increases be comparable to the annual wage increase. Provides for triple pay of accrued wages that would have been payable by a producer to a sugarworker except for a violation of this Act. Requires producers to comply with Federal regulations pertaining to adequate housing facilities and adequate water and sanitary facilities in the fields which he provides or causes to be provided. Requires the producer to determine that sugarworkers in his employ are United States citizens or aliens authorized by the Immigration Service to engage in employment on a temporary basis. States that the producer shall not have charged, or permitted to be charged, directly or indirectly, any amount in excess of the reasonable cost for the furnishing to any employee, board, lodging, or other facilities or services customarily furnished by such producer or producers in the area or by a crew leader or labor contractor under the producer's control. Provides that the producer shall not have discharged or in any other manner discriminate any employee because such employee has filed any complaint or instituted or caused to be instituted any proceeding under or related to this Act, or has testified or is about to testify in any such proceeding, or has served or is about to serve on a committee or panel under this Act. Requires the producer to provide health and accident insurance adequate to cover all medical expenses incurred by the worker or members of his family while in transit to, at, or in transit from the job site.

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1 official file

• Introduced in House

  summary · EN · 22 May 1974

  Open at official source

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