Farm Labor Contractor
License Examination
Study Guide
NOTE: This guide is designed to help employers with the exam and to provide employers
who are farm labor contractors with a basic idea of requirements applicable to farm labor
contractors. IT DOES NOT CONTAIN EVERY APPLICABLE LAW AND IS NOT LEGAL
ADVICE.
Table of Contents
I. Basic Responsibilities
A. The examination............................................................................................................................ 3
B. Requirements for obtaining a farm labor contractor license .........................................................3
C. Grounds for losing an FLC license ................................................................................................ 3
D. Grounds for losing an FLC federal registration certificate ............................................................... 3
E. Enforcement by the Labor Commissioner’s Office ........................................................................ 4
F. Training supervisors ...................................................................................................................... 4
G. Recruiting workers ........................................................................................................................ 4
H. Contracting with growers ................................................................................................................... 5
II. Health and Safety
A. Field sanitation ............................................................................................................................. 6
B. Field safety ................................................................................................................................... 7
C. Heat illness prevention ................................................................................................................. 7
D. Injury and Illness Prevention Program ......................................................................................... 8
E. Required postings ........................................................................................................................ 8
F. Reporting injuries and deaths ....................................................................................................... 8
G. Pesticide safety ............................................................................................................................ 8
III. Wages
A. Minimum wage and overtime ..................................................................................................... 13
B. Meal and rest periods ................................................................................................................. 13
C. Paid Sick Leave ......................................................................................................................... 14
1
FLC License Exam Study Guide (Rev. 01/2025)
, D. Wage Deductions....................................................................................................................... 14
E. Paydays ..................................................................................................................................... 14
F. Recordkeeping requirements ..................................................................................................... 15
G. Posting requirements ................................................................................................................... 16
H. Fina l Pay .................................................................................................................................................. 16
I. Other Topics ........................................................................................................................................... 17
IV. Workers’ Compensation and State Disability Insurance
A. General information regarding workers’ compensation insurance ............................................... 20
B. Workers’ compensation insurance penalties .............................................................................. 20
C. State disability insurance............................................................................................................ 20
V. Child Labor
A. Permit to work, permit to employ, and applicable penalties ........................................................ 21
B. Work hours and applicable penalties .......................................................................................... 21
C. Hazardous occupations and applicable penalties ....................................................................... 21
VI. Employee Housing
A. Permits ....................................................................................................................................... 22
B. Postings ..................................................................................................................................... 22
C. Workers’ rights ........................................................................................................................... 22
VII. Transportation
A. Required license and certificates................................................................................................ 23
B. Vehicle insurance requirements ................................................................................................. 23
C. Driving restrictions...................................................................................................................... 23
D. Vehicle restrictions ..................................................................................................................... 24
VIII. Treatment of Workers
A. Discrimination ............................................................................................................................ 25
B. Retaliation .................................................................................................................................. 25
C. Sexual harassment .................................................................................................................... 25
2
FLC License Exam Study Guide (Rev. 01/2025)
, Chapter I. Basic Responsibilities
A. The examination
A farm labor contractor (or, “FLC”) 1 is required to take California’s farm labor contractor exam every two years. An FLC
who has violated any law related to farm labor contracting must take the exam the year after the violation or at the
request of the Labor Commissioner. The Labor Commissioner, or Labor Commissioner’s Office, is also known as the
Division of Labor Standards Enforcement or “DLSE.”
B. Requirements for Obtaining a Farm Labor Contractor License
To contract for farm labor, a farm labor contractor must:
• Have and show a valid and current California farm labor contractor’s license.
• Have and show a valid and current FLC federal registration certificate from the U.S. Department of Labor.
• Be registered with the Agricultural Commissioner in each county where an FLC supplies labor.
• Have a bond for the appropriate amount posted with the Labor Commissioner’s Office based on the annual payroll for
all employees.
• Have workers’ compensation insurance.
• Disclose all people who have a financial interest in the FLC’s contracting business.
• Every year, enroll and participate in at least nine hours of an approved FLC class, of which one hour should cover
sexual harassment prevention.
• Provide the Labor Commissioner with a written statement attesting that supervisory employees and
nonsupervisory employees have received sexual harassment prevention training as required.
• Notify the Labor Commissioner immediately of any changes related to the business officers, address,
legal entity, partnerships, etc.
A farm labor contractor must not:
• Sell or transfer any part of the profits of the business unless the Labor Commissioner gives written consent.
• Transfer or assign its FLC license to another person.
C. Grounds for losing an FLC license
A farm labor contractor license may be revoked if an FLC does any of the following:
• Violates any state or federal law governing farm labor contractors, including, health and safety, payment of
wages, or lack of workers’ compensation insurance laws.
• Includes any false information on their application.
• Changes any condition under which the license was issued.
• Allows any employee to drive a farm labor vehicle without a proper license and certification.
• Fails to pay wages promptly.
• Fails to comply with an FLC contract.
• Sells alcoholic beverages as part of the FLC business.
D. Grounds for losing an FLC federal registration certificate
Similarly, an FLC federal registration certificate will be revoked if the FLC:
• Does any of the above, or if an FLC:
• Applies for the FLC license on behalf of someone else.
1 The terms farm labor contractor, FLC, and employer are used interchangeably in this study guide.
3
FLC License Exam Study Guide (Rev. 01/2025)
License Examination
Study Guide
NOTE: This guide is designed to help employers with the exam and to provide employers
who are farm labor contractors with a basic idea of requirements applicable to farm labor
contractors. IT DOES NOT CONTAIN EVERY APPLICABLE LAW AND IS NOT LEGAL
ADVICE.
Table of Contents
I. Basic Responsibilities
A. The examination............................................................................................................................ 3
B. Requirements for obtaining a farm labor contractor license .........................................................3
C. Grounds for losing an FLC license ................................................................................................ 3
D. Grounds for losing an FLC federal registration certificate ............................................................... 3
E. Enforcement by the Labor Commissioner’s Office ........................................................................ 4
F. Training supervisors ...................................................................................................................... 4
G. Recruiting workers ........................................................................................................................ 4
H. Contracting with growers ................................................................................................................... 5
II. Health and Safety
A. Field sanitation ............................................................................................................................. 6
B. Field safety ................................................................................................................................... 7
C. Heat illness prevention ................................................................................................................. 7
D. Injury and Illness Prevention Program ......................................................................................... 8
E. Required postings ........................................................................................................................ 8
F. Reporting injuries and deaths ....................................................................................................... 8
G. Pesticide safety ............................................................................................................................ 8
III. Wages
A. Minimum wage and overtime ..................................................................................................... 13
B. Meal and rest periods ................................................................................................................. 13
C. Paid Sick Leave ......................................................................................................................... 14
1
FLC License Exam Study Guide (Rev. 01/2025)
, D. Wage Deductions....................................................................................................................... 14
E. Paydays ..................................................................................................................................... 14
F. Recordkeeping requirements ..................................................................................................... 15
G. Posting requirements ................................................................................................................... 16
H. Fina l Pay .................................................................................................................................................. 16
I. Other Topics ........................................................................................................................................... 17
IV. Workers’ Compensation and State Disability Insurance
A. General information regarding workers’ compensation insurance ............................................... 20
B. Workers’ compensation insurance penalties .............................................................................. 20
C. State disability insurance............................................................................................................ 20
V. Child Labor
A. Permit to work, permit to employ, and applicable penalties ........................................................ 21
B. Work hours and applicable penalties .......................................................................................... 21
C. Hazardous occupations and applicable penalties ....................................................................... 21
VI. Employee Housing
A. Permits ....................................................................................................................................... 22
B. Postings ..................................................................................................................................... 22
C. Workers’ rights ........................................................................................................................... 22
VII. Transportation
A. Required license and certificates................................................................................................ 23
B. Vehicle insurance requirements ................................................................................................. 23
C. Driving restrictions...................................................................................................................... 23
D. Vehicle restrictions ..................................................................................................................... 24
VIII. Treatment of Workers
A. Discrimination ............................................................................................................................ 25
B. Retaliation .................................................................................................................................. 25
C. Sexual harassment .................................................................................................................... 25
2
FLC License Exam Study Guide (Rev. 01/2025)
, Chapter I. Basic Responsibilities
A. The examination
A farm labor contractor (or, “FLC”) 1 is required to take California’s farm labor contractor exam every two years. An FLC
who has violated any law related to farm labor contracting must take the exam the year after the violation or at the
request of the Labor Commissioner. The Labor Commissioner, or Labor Commissioner’s Office, is also known as the
Division of Labor Standards Enforcement or “DLSE.”
B. Requirements for Obtaining a Farm Labor Contractor License
To contract for farm labor, a farm labor contractor must:
• Have and show a valid and current California farm labor contractor’s license.
• Have and show a valid and current FLC federal registration certificate from the U.S. Department of Labor.
• Be registered with the Agricultural Commissioner in each county where an FLC supplies labor.
• Have a bond for the appropriate amount posted with the Labor Commissioner’s Office based on the annual payroll for
all employees.
• Have workers’ compensation insurance.
• Disclose all people who have a financial interest in the FLC’s contracting business.
• Every year, enroll and participate in at least nine hours of an approved FLC class, of which one hour should cover
sexual harassment prevention.
• Provide the Labor Commissioner with a written statement attesting that supervisory employees and
nonsupervisory employees have received sexual harassment prevention training as required.
• Notify the Labor Commissioner immediately of any changes related to the business officers, address,
legal entity, partnerships, etc.
A farm labor contractor must not:
• Sell or transfer any part of the profits of the business unless the Labor Commissioner gives written consent.
• Transfer or assign its FLC license to another person.
C. Grounds for losing an FLC license
A farm labor contractor license may be revoked if an FLC does any of the following:
• Violates any state or federal law governing farm labor contractors, including, health and safety, payment of
wages, or lack of workers’ compensation insurance laws.
• Includes any false information on their application.
• Changes any condition under which the license was issued.
• Allows any employee to drive a farm labor vehicle without a proper license and certification.
• Fails to pay wages promptly.
• Fails to comply with an FLC contract.
• Sells alcoholic beverages as part of the FLC business.
D. Grounds for losing an FLC federal registration certificate
Similarly, an FLC federal registration certificate will be revoked if the FLC:
• Does any of the above, or if an FLC:
• Applies for the FLC license on behalf of someone else.
1 The terms farm labor contractor, FLC, and employer are used interchangeably in this study guide.
3
FLC License Exam Study Guide (Rev. 01/2025)
