Settlement

Our workers, their families, and the rural communities in which we all live mean the world to us, and Gebbers Farms works hard every day to support them.

As the COVID pandemic raged through our state and our communities in 2020, we protected our workers by using COVID-response protocols that we developed in consultation with a leading infectious disease specialist. And those protocols worked. According to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, workers who lived in Gebbers-provided housing were three times less likely to contract COVID than workers who lived in the community, and the total Gebbers workforce had a positive rate of only 0.7% — far below local, state or nationwide rates at the time.

Despite these successful efforts, Washington state fined the company for COVID health violations that allegedly took place in July 2020. After more than a year, Gebbers Farms and the state settled our differences through mediation, saving taxpayer money as a result of a lengthy lawsuit, and benefiting workers and their families.

Many of the tasks that Gebbers Farms agreed to do as part of the 2021 settlement were unrelated to the alleged 2020 safety violations. For example, one of the farm’s top considerations when settling was that funds paid be used to upgrade living quarters for their workers and to donate to worthwhile community causes. Furthermore, the Gebbers Farms settlement agreement dovetailed into our ongoing plans to improve workplace safety and our existing charitable giving program.

At the time of the lawsuit settlement, CEO Cass Gebbers noted: “Gebbers Farms has always cared deeply about the wellbeing and safety of its workers. Each year, Gebbers Farms makes improvements to its temporary housing facilities to enhance the safety and comfort of its workers. This mediation agreement will result in even more improvements and benefit the community at large through the farm’s donations to community charities and nonprofits.”

“Instead of possibly spending years and taxpayer resources in court to potentially collect fines, this settlement means the company will put significant money where it will help the most: improving health, safety, and quality of life for farmworkers and their families.”

Gebbers Farms remains steadfast in our position that it was not treated fairly by Washington State Department of Labor & Industry when it issued the citations. The pandemic presented many novel challenges for the entire world, and Gebbers Farms was no exception. Even with the novel challenges, Gebbers Farms adapted to the emergency COVID rules that were enacted by the state.

Gebbers Farms cares deeply about the health and safety of its workers and their families. Through our regular course of business, we continue to foster safe workplaces, healthy workers, and thriving communities.