CA farmworkers: Weekly work hours declined while total wages paid by employers held steady since passage of overtime law: Average hours worked per week, hourly wage, and total wages paid wages paid by agricultural employers, and percentage changes, 2014-2023
| Year | Avg hours worked per week | Avg hourly wage ($2023) | Total wages (in thousands, $2023) | Avg annual increase in total wages | Avg annual increase avg hourly wage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 42.8 | $14.58 | $15,373,490 | ||
| 2015 | 42.7 | $15.29 | $16,401,072 | 6.7% | 4.8% |
| 2016 | 43.3 | $15.96 | $17,392,106 | 6.0% | 4.4% |
| 2017 | 42.8 | $16.38 | $17,457,487 | 0.4% | 2.7% |
| 2018 | 42.6 | $16.89 | $17,729,909 | 1.6% | 3.1% |
| 2019 | 43.1 | $17.60 | $18,266,764 | 3.0% | 4.2% |
| 2020 | 41.5 | $18.90 | $18,891,769 | 3.4% | 7.3% |
| 2021 | 41.3 | $19.69 | $18,850,019 | -0.2% | 4.2% |
| 2022 | 40.5 | $19.42 | $18,353,147 | -2.6% | -1.4% |
| 2023 | 40.0 | $19.75 | $17,837,193 | -2.8% | 1.7% |
| Average annual increase in total wages paid, 2014–18 | 3.7% | ||||
| Average annual increase in total wages paid, 2019–23 | 0.2% | ||||
| Average annual increase in average hourly wage, 2014–18 | 3.7% | ||||
| Average annual increase in average hourly wage, 2019–23 | 3.2% | ||||
| % change in average hourly hours worked, 2014-18 | -0.5% | ||||
| % change in average hourly hours worked, 2019-23 | -7.2% | ||||
Note: All values have been adjusted for inflation to constant 2023 dollars using the CPI-U-RS. Average weekly hours worked and average hourly wage for farmworkers wage is the gross average hourly wage of field and livestock workers combined, as reported by USDA (see source).
Source: Author's analysis of Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, Total Wages (in thousands) in Private NAICS 11 Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting for All establishment sizes in California -- Statewide. Series ID: ENU0600030511. Author's analysis of National Agricultural Statistics Service, "Annual Average Number of Hired Workers and Gross Hours Worked – Regions and United States," Farm Labor survey reports, reports from years 2014-2023. Author's analysis of Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, Total Wages (in thousands) in Private NAICS 11 Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting for All establishment sizes in California -- Statewide. Series ID: ENU0600030511.
This chart appears in:
- tables and figs for MA OT testimony farmworkers (Nov 2021)
- Testimony for the Massachusetts Joint Committee on Labor & Workforce Development: Hearing on the Fairness for Farmworkers Act
- Testimony before the NY State Department of Labor’s Farm Laborers Wage Board: The overtime threshold for farmworkers in New York state should be lowered to 40 hours per week
- Testimony for the Maine Legislature, Labor and Housing Committee: An overtime pay threshold for farmworkers in Maine should be set at 40 hours per week
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