§ 500.1 Purpose and scope.

(a) Congress stated, in enacting the Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act that “[I]t is the purpose of this Act to remove the restraints on commerce caused by activities detrimental to migrant and seasonal agricultural workers; to require farm labor contractors to register under this Act; and to assure necessary protections for migrant and seasonal agricultural workers, agricultural associations, and agricultural employers.” It authorized the Secretary to issue such rules and regulations as are necessary to carry out the Act consistent with the requirements of chapter 5 of title 5, United States Code.

(b) These regulations implement this purpose and policy. The regulations contained in this part are issued in accordance with section 511 of the Act and establish the rules and regulations necessary to carry out the Act.

(c) Any farm labor contractor, as defined in the Act, is required to obtain a Certificate of Registration issued pursuant to the Act from the Department of Labor or from a State agency authorized to issue such certificates on behalf of the Department of Labor. Such a farm labor contractor must ensure that any individual whom he employs to perform any farm labor contracting activities also obtains a Certificate of Registration. The farm labor contractor is responsible, as well, for any violation of the Act or these regulations by any such employee whether or not the employee obtains a certificate. In addition to registering, farm labor contractors must comply with all other applicable provisions of the Act when they recruit, solicit, hire, employ, furnish or transport or, in the case of migrant agricultural workers, provide housing.