photo credit: Marc Albert/KRCB
A man cultivates new grape vines in this 2022 file photo

A total of 23 workers who toiled at a Sonoma County farm have been reimbursed more than $31,000 collectively. That's following an investigation by the US Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division.

According to the federal agency, the farm's owners declined to pay overtime and failed to provide tools, meals or kitchen facilities. They also provided substandard housing, and did not reimburse the cost of transportation to and from job sites. Those are all requirements under a visa program. The majority of those affected were foreign laborers using H-2A visas.

Alberto Raymond is assistant district director with the agency.

"When they live in dilapidated trailers and cooking meals outside on grills, that is a safety concern. When they are not getting the state mandated or required overtime, they only get straight time, it's a financial hardship," Raymond said.

Humberto Castaneda Produce also paid more than $18,000 in civil penalties to the division.

He said the fine issued by his agency has one goal.

"It is intended to coerce compliance," Raymond said.

But rather than upgrading farmworker housing, Raymond said the firm ceased participating in the foreign worker program.

"According to what we understand, from several months ago, they are no longer utilizing the H2A program," Raymond added.

Raymond declined to reveal what prompted the investigation.

"We don't disclose to anybody how we start an investigation, but we recognize that these are low wage workers, farm workers, agricultural workers are low wage workers they don't understand their rights or are afraid to file complaints, that's why we take a very proactive approach to going out and ensuring that workers are paid correctly, housed correctly and transported in safe vehicles," Raymond said.

KRCB News was unsuccessful in reaching the company, headquartered on Fulton Road, for comment or response.