Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) is praising the recent decision made by the Department of Labor’s Farm Laborer Wage Board to maintain the 60-hour overtime threshold until at least next November. Hawley had been advocating in recent months to maintain this overtime threshold in light of a proposal to lower it, which Hawley feared would make operating an agri-business even more difficult during what has been a hard year for the agricultural sector due to the negative impact COVID-19 has had on the industry.

“This announcement is a big relief for farmers and agri-business entrepreneurs throughout the state, and I’m glad there’s one less thing to worry about in what’s already been an incredibly challenging year for agriculture,” said Hawley. “While there is still work to be done helping our farmers through the COVID-19 pandemic, I am glad we avoided what would have certainly been a catastrophic mistake for our farmers and agricultural workers and entrepreneurs.”