Office of the State Monitor Advocate

Monitor advocates at the national, regional and state levels help to ensure that the services provided to Migrant and Seasonal Farmworkers (MSFWs) are "qualitatively equivalent and quantitatively proportionate" to the services provided to other jobseekers. This means that MSFWs should receive all workforce development services, benefits and protections on an equitable and non-discriminatory basis (i.e. career guidance, testing, job development, training, and job referral). In order to locate and to contact MSFWs who are not being reached by the normal intake activities conducted by the local Job Service offices, the focus of the workforce delivery system will be to:

• Increase the number of MSFWs in all labor exchange activities.
• Increase the number of agricultural employers utilizing labor exchange services.
• Encourage use of the Agricultural Recruitment System (ARS) (Form ETA-790).
• Encourage MSFWs' transition to higher wage jobs & permanent year-round employment in non-agricultural work.
• Enhance collaboration with MSFW service providers.
• Encourage full integration of MSFWs and agencies that serve them into the One-Stop centers around the country.

The State Monitor Advocate supports the needs of MSFWs by:

• Providing information about farmworker needs, characteristics and concerns.
• Developing linkages with a broad range of stakeholders, including community- and employer-based organizations.
• Participating in the planning and integration and system-building functions of American Job Centers.
• Producing annual service assessments and analyses to promote a better understanding of services to farmworkers and to highlighting special efforts and accomplishments by states in serving them.
• Ensuring that all legal protections are afforded to farmworkers and that their complaints are promptly resolved.