Following an investigation by the Attorney General’s Office into discriminatory employment practices, King Fuji Ranch, based in Richland, Washington, will pay $180,000 and implement significant reforms. This follows allegations of misrepresentations to local farmworkers regarding job opportunities at the company, which grows apples and wine grapes.
Attorney General Nick Brown filed a resolution today with King Fuji in Benton County Superior Court, effectively concluding the investigation without proceeding to litigation. The company is operated by Michael Taggares, who also owns Tagaris Wines.
Under the terms of the agreement, King Fuji will change its hiring practices to prevent the unlawful displacement of local farmworkers by foreign H-2A workers. The company will adopt a nondiscrimination policy subject to review and approval by the Attorney General’s Office. Additionally, King Fuji must provide training for employees and supervisors over the next five years concerning their rights and responsibilities under state civil rights and consumer protection laws. Upon judicial approval, the agreement will become a binding court order.
“Employers cannot discriminate against willing, available local workers in order to abuse foreign visa programs,” stated Brown. “The Attorney General’s Office will protect farmworkers in Washington state from employers that break the law.”
Andrea Schmitt, an attorney with Columbia Legal Services, highlighted the misuse of the H-2A program by some growers. She commented, "Growers who use the H-2A program are required to show a real labor shortage before they can bring in foreign workers. In reality, we often see growers deceiving local farmworkers to avoid hiring them because the growers prefer H-2A workers who can’t change jobs regardless of working conditions. We are grateful to the Attorney General’s office for standing up to King Fuji, a grower that was unlawfully pushing local farmworkers aside."
Between 2016 and 2019, King Fuji indicated to local farmworkers a requirement for three months of tree fruit experience for jobs involving thinning, training, pruning, and harvesting. However, the criteria communicated to its H-2A labor recruiter in Mexico included a preference for married men under 35, without mentioning the experience requirement. This discrepancy led to assertions by the Attorney General’s Office of sex and national origin discrimination, and a violation of the Consumer Protection Act due to deceptive advertising.
Handling the case were Assistant Attorneys General Patricio Marquez, Teri Healy, and Matt Geyman, alongside investigators Alma Poletti and Rebecca Pawul, and paralegal Anna Alfonso.
The Wing Luke Civil Rights Division, named after the first Asian American elected to public office in the Pacific Northwest, protects the rights of Washington residents through the enforcement of anti-discrimination laws.