The California Labor Commissioner’s Office cited farm labor contractor M.G. Luna, Inc. of Parlier and growers Madera Persimmon Growers Inc. of Madera and Willems Farms Inc. of Kingsburg $1,926,531, for wage theft affecting 356 workers who harvested persimmons and blueberries.
The Fresno County-based contractor registered to Maria Guadalupe Luna collected wages from the growers but reportedly failed to pay the workers. The FLC also hired workers to harvest blueberries on Luna’s own farm and failed to pay them.
The LCO opened its investigation into M.G. Luna Inc. and growers Madera Persimmon Growers Inc., and Willems Farms, Inc. in 2019 after receiving a referral from California Rural Legal Assistance Inc. The investigation focused on dozens of wage claims workers filed against the FLC and the growers for nonpayment of wages or for receiving checks with insufficient funds.
The citations and penalties issued total $1,926,531. Maria Guadalupe Luna, an individual, and Madera Persimmon Inc., a corporation, were cited $75,120 for waiting time penalties, $6,273 for minimum wage violations, and $2,230 in interest involving 25 workers. Maria Guadalupe Luna, an individual, and Willems Farms, Inc., a corporation, and Gayle A. Willems and Paul E. Willems, both trustees of the Willems Family Trust, were cited $334,080 for waiting time penalties, $76,272 for minimum wage violations, and $28,568 in interest involving 108 workers. Maria Guadalupe Luna, an individual, was also cited $1,140,720 for waiting time penalties, $191,943 for minimum wage violations, and $71,325 in interest affecting 223 workers.
Topics California Agribusiness Contractors
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