Farmworkers and agricultural workers hurt on the job
A lot of farmworkers are told, by a contractor or a crew boss, that field work isn't covered. In California most farmworkers are, including for seasonal workers and people without papers.
Questions about your case? Call (323) 656-9040.
Most farmworkers and agricultural workers in California are covered by workers' compensation when they get hurt on the job, whether that's in the field, the packing house or the nursery. Seasonal workers are covered. Workers hired through a farm labor contractor are covered. Workers without immigration papers are covered. If someone told you farm work isn't covered, don't take their word for it.
Shade at 80 degrees, extra rules at 95
Cal/OSHA's outdoor heat rule, Title 8 section 3395, covers agriculture. Your employer has to provide fresh, cool water, enough for at least a quart per worker per hour for the whole shift, and shade once it's above 80 degrees. Agriculture is one of the industries that must follow high-heat procedures at 95 degrees or above.
Heat illness damages the kidneys, heart and brain, and it kills people. If you or someone on your crew got sick from heat, that's a work injury. When you can, write down the date, the time, the temperature, and how far the water and shade were from where you were working.
Source: Cal/OSHA, Title 8 § 3395.
Hired through a contractor, or here for the season
Seasonal work and contractor work are both covered. When you get hurt, tell the grower's supervisor and the labor contractor, in writing if you can. Who pays is something they work out. It doesn't change your right to benefits.
Immigration status doesn't take that right away. The Labor Code covers workers "whether lawfully or unlawfully employed" (section 3351), and section 1171.5 makes state-law protections available regardless of status. The state's own guide for injured workers says you don't have to be a legal resident to receive most benefits. Nobody here will ask about your papers.
Sources: California Labor Code § 3351, § 1171.5; DWC Injured Worker Guidebook, Chapter 1.
Spray, fumigants and what to write down
Pesticides and fertilizers can make you sick fast, with rashes, burning eyes or trouble breathing, or slowly over seasons. Either way, get seen right away and tell the doctor what you were exposed to and when. Then write down the field, the crop, and any posted signs about spraying, and report it to your employer or contractor in writing. Our page on chemical and toxic exposure at work covers illnesses that show up later.
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Ladders, bins and the long bend
Picking off a ladder, carrying full bins, bending over rows all day, cutting and pruning for hours. That's how backs, wrists and shoulders wear out. Some injuries happen in one fall. Others build over seasons. Both count as work injuries. If it's your hands and wrists, our page on repetitive strain and carpal tunnel explains how those claims are proven.
When the van crashes or a machine fails
Sometimes the company that caused the injury isn't your employer: another driver in a crash on the way to the field, a crop duster whose spray drifted onto your crew, a tractor or forklift with a defect. You may have a separate claim against that company, and Labor Code section 3852 keeps it open even while you're getting workers' comp.
Source: California Labor Code § 3852.
What comp pays, and what happens if you can't go back to the fields
The insurer pays your medical care. Once you return the claim form, your employer has to authorize up to $10,000 in treatment while it decides on the claim. If you can't work, temporary disability pays about two-thirds of your average weekly wage. In 2026 that's at least $264.61 a week and at most $1,764.11. If you're left with lasting limits, there's permanent disability.
If your doctor says you can never go back to field work, and you were hurt on or after January 1, 2013, you may get a Supplemental Job Displacement Benefit voucher of up to $6,000 for retraining. People who get the voucher can also apply to the state for a one-time $5,000 Return-to-Work Supplement. Our return-to-work guide explains both.
Sources: California Labor Code § 5402, § 4658.7; DIR, 2026 temporary disability rates; DIR, Return-to-Work Supplement Program.
¿Trabaja en el campo y se enfermó por el calor o los pesticidas? Tiene derechos, tenga o no tenga papeles. Llame al (323) 656-9040.
Two questions from the fields
The contractor said farm work isn't covered. Is that true?
In California, agricultural workers are generally covered. Ask for a claim form, and if you're told no, call us.
The season's over. Is it too late?
Maybe not. You're supposed to report within 30 days, and you generally have one year to file with the Workers' Compensation Appeals Board, counted from the injury or the last benefit paid. Illnesses that build up over time have their own rules. Call even if time has passed.
Let's talk about what happened.
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