A North County farm north of San Marcos has been ordered to pay more than $245,000 after federal investigators found it charged workers for unsafe, unsanitary housing. Inspectors flagged mold, structural damage, insect and rodent infestations, and missing safety equipment at on-farm housing used by employees. Federal findings show about 30 agricultural workers were charged rent for those units.
As reported by The San Diego Union-Tribune, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division recovered roughly $171,400 in back wages and assessed $76,274 in civil penalties against Lucky Growers. The agency said investigators found the employer failed to provide required information about job and housing conditions and ordered the combined payments after inspections of on-farm housing. "Lucky Growers failed to meet its legal requirements and the Wage and Hour Division remains committed to protecting farmworkers," a department official said in a statement to the paper.
Farm Background And Owners
The operation traces to a family farm founded in 2005 and, according to the farm’s own website, now covers roughly 180 acres. The site says the broader company employs about 100 workers, while investigators identified about 80 employees at Lucky Growers during their review. State business filings list Brian and Agnes Choi as officers of Lucky Growers, per public records. Aaron Choi told The San Diego Union-Tribune the two businesses are separate and that Girl & Dug "happens to rent space in the same physical farm," and the paper reported the owners could not be reached for comment.
Legal Implications
Federal enforcement rests in part on the Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act, according to the U.S. Department of Labor, which requires employers who provide housing to ensure it meets federal and state safety standards and to furnish required disclosures. The Wage and Hour Division can recover back wages, assess civil penalties and pursue additional remedies when MSPA or wage-and-hour rules are violated. In serious cases the department may seek injunctions or criminal prosecution.
Where Workers Can Get Help
Workers with complaints can contact local enforcement offices or labor agencies for assistance. The San Diego County Office of Labor Standards & Enforcement maintains resources for filing wage theft and workplace safety complaints and can help connect employees with enforcement agencies and legal assistance. The DOL also operates a toll-free helpline at 1-866-4US-WAGE for federal labor questions.
Investigators said wages were recovered for affected workers and that the employer must satisfy the ordered payments; local and federal authorities may continue monitoring the site to ensure conditions are corrected.
