Purpose

The Rural Employment Service provides a wide variety of assistance to businesses, specifically:   1) screening of workers to make sure they meet job specifications for businesses requiring experience and ability; 2) providing information to businesses on labor market conditions, employment trends, agricultural laws, youth permits and government programs. 

Specific services include:

• Migrant Outreach Program – DOL staff offer migrant and seasonal farm workers referrals to agricultural and non-agricultural jobs; provide information on training opportunities, counseling and supportive services; explain complaint resolution; and how to contact other organizations serving migrant and seasonal farm workers.
• Agricultural Immigration –Assists agricultural and rural employers in locating needed workers. It also helps farm workers and other rural residents find productive employment in agriculture or non-farm jobs.
• Field Checks – Field checks are conducted to ensure working and housing conditions, wages and hours are as specified in the employer’s original job order.  Field staff interview workers to ensure that conditions are met and no violations exist.

Eligibility

Any New York State rural employer or farm worker is eligible for this program. 

Contacts

NYS Department of Labor

Specially trained Rural Labor Service Representatives are located in DOL offices across the State where labor-intensive agriculture is found:

Albion Area Eduardo Rodriguez (585) 589-5335	Auburn Area Ricardo Aguilar (315) 253-6955	Batavia Area Will Shumaker (585) 344-2042
Hudson Area Bernadette Kowalski  (518) 828-4654	Kingston Area Bill Becker   (845) 338-4696 x3012 Karen Terns (845) 338-4696	Newark Area Dan Roth (315) 946-7259
Patchogue Area Elvira Sochacki   (631) 687-4852  Jose Vega  (631) 687-4851	Pine Island Area Glen Holt (845) 651-7100 Patrick Leap (845) 651-7100	Plattsburgh Area Janice Brooks (518) 561-0430
Syracuse Area Art Gladstone  (315) 477-6975