FRESNO, Calif. - A federal court has ordered a San Joaquin Valley agricultural employer to pay nearly $130,000 in back-wages and civil penalties following an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor into a deadly 2024 crash that killed seven farmworkers and injured another.
The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California ordered Lion Farms LLC and its owners to pay over $39,000 in back-wages to 12 employees and nearly $90,000 in civil penalties.
The court also warned the company to refrain from committing future violations of the Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act. The 1983 law establishes employment standards related to wages, housing, transportation, disclosures and recordkeeping.
The case stems from a Feb. 23, 2024, crash in Madera County involving a van transporting farmworkers to a job site. Seven farmworkers were killed and one survived the crash. It happened after a pickup truck crossed the median and hit the van shortly after 6 a.m.. The pickup truck driver also died.
According to regulators, Lion Farms failed to ensure that workers were transported in safe vehicles. Investigators found the company used unlicensed drivers, vehicles without the proper insurance coverage, and charged workers transportation fees despite the conditions being unsafe.
All of these are violations under federal regulations.
The department also discovered that Lion Farms failed to properly disclose workers’ permanent addresses and employer identification numbers on wage statements.
The lawsuit against the Selma-based company was filed last year by the U.S. Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer shortly after she was sworn into office.
Federal officials alleged that a Lion Farms supervisor knew the van driver involved in the crash was unlicensed but still instructed him to transport workers from Kerman to the worksite that morning.
In a statement, Regional Solicitor for the U.S. Department of Labor Marc Pilotin said the ruling sends a clear message to employers.
“Federal agricultural laws have strict provisions that must be met for employers to employ migrant and seasonal workers,” Pilotin said. “This case serves as a start and solemn reminder of the importance of these provisions.”
KVPR reached out to Lion Farms LLC but the company did not offer a statement.
