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Farmworkers & The Law | Farmwork in NC | Migrant & Seasonal  | Immigration Status | H2A | Wages | Worker's compensation | Access | Housing | Field Sanitation  |
Pesticides |  AWPA
 

Introduction to Migrant Housing Inspection In North Carolina

Farmworker Housing
Can include various types of structures such as old farmhouses, trailers, and concrete and wooden barracks.
According to the Housing Assistance Council (HAC), a non-profit organization that advocates for better housing for the rural poor, farmworkers are the worst housed persons in the US (1).

A survey conducted by HAC documented the most frequent problems found in migrant housing along the eastern migrant stream which includes North Carolina.

The study found:

Overcrowding, with an average of more than 2.1 persons per room

Broken or non-existent appliances and fixtures such as stoves, refrigerators, showers and toilets

Serious structural problems such as broken windows and doors, peeling paint, sagging porches and holes in the walls and floors

Proximity to fields sprayed with pesticides and the list goes on. 

For more information about this report go to HAC's website

The North Carolina Migrant Housing Act (Chapter 95, Article 19) requires that employers who provide housing to migrant farmworkers register their housing with the North Carolina Department of Labor (NCDOL). Inspectors inspect housing to verify that it meets all the conditions of the NC Migrant Housing Act such as sufficient hot and cold water, electricity, and working bathrooms.

However, inspectors from the NCDOL are not able to inspect the over 2,000 migrant labor camps before they become occupied, leaving thousands of migrant farmworkers with housing that would not meet inspection standards.

Migrant farmworkers may submit an anonymous complaint to the NCDOL if the housing does not meet required standards. Individuals may also file complaints on behalf of workers.

The North Carolina Retaliatory Employment Discrimnation Act prohibits employers from retaliating against workers who defend their rights under the NC Migrant Housing Act.


Resources
1. Housing Assistance Council, http://www.ruralhome.org/index.htm