H-2A workers' preferences for job attributes: Evidence from an experiment

Abstract

Diminishing labor availability is a pressing issue for US farmers. We surveyed H-2A farmworkers and conducted a discrete choice experiment to estimate their willingness to accept different job benefits. Respondents identified the opportunity to return home as the most valuable perk. The second highest valued job attribute was training in both English and machinery operation, followed by the employer offering housing amenities. The least valued benefit was the opportunity to earn overtime pay. This study provides new insights about the type of program modifications that might be valued more by workers in the context of proposals to modify labor rules.