Paying For Rest Breaks Subject Of Lawsuit

TOPPENISH, Wash. (AP) — The state Supreme Court is hearing a case about whether farmers are required to pay farmworkers additional money for rest breaks.

A class-action lawsuit was filed by two farmworkers against Sakuma Brothers Farms, a berry farm in Burlington. The farmworkers and Sakuma Brothers Farms finalized a settlement agreement resolving most of the claims in November.

The farmers did not admit any wrongdoing, but did agree to pay $850,000 to settle claims and avoid the time and expense of a lawsuit. But the workers and the farm could not come to an agreement over claims made by the workers that they should receive extra pay for the 10-minute break they can take every four hours.

The Supreme Court is hearing arguments Tuesday at Heritage University in Toppenish.