Department of Labor

State Monitor Advocate - New York

Who are Migrant and Seasonal Farmworkers?

About the Monitor Advocate System

 

Agriculture is one of the leading industries in New York State. It employs 40,000 to 80,000 farm workers every year (including domestic, guest worker, year-round, migrant and seasonal farm workers). Farm workers, including immigrant farm workers, cultivate and harvest a full range of agricultural products, including fruits, vegetables, greenhouse plants, trees, and much more.  New York State farm workers are also processing our fruits and vegetables and are working on dairy farms across the state.

The New York State Monitor Advocate monitors the DOL's employment services to Migrant and Seasonal Farm Workers (MSFW) to ensure compliance with U.S. Department of Labor regulations.

In New York state, employment services are provided through the Division of Employment and Workforce Solutions (DEWS)  and the Agriculture Labor Program (AgLP) within the Department of Labor (DOL).  Some of the responsibilities of the State Monitor Advocate are as follows:

1. Monitors New York State Career Centers to ensure equity of services to MSFWs.
2. Monitors outreach performed by the AgLP field staff throughout the State.
3. Ensures that complaints submitted through the Employment Service Complaint System are resolved internally or referred to outside partners (i.e. Wage & Hour, OSHA, Human Rights, etc) and follows up on the referred complaints. 
4. Works closely with the Foreign Labor Certification Unit (FLCU) to ensure that domestic workers that qualify for H-2A jobs are given every opportunity to obtain those jobs first.

How to contact the New York State Monitor Advocate:

New York State Monitor Advocate: Belén Ledezma
Mobile phone: 518-915-3059
Office phone: 518-457-0039
E-Mail: SMA@labor.ny.gov
Fax: 518-457-1335
Mailing address: State Office Campus, Building 12, Room 570, Albany NY 12240

Read Belén's biography .

Related links

Farmworker Employment Rights

The Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act (MSPA)