Recruiters
We meet workers in their home communities. We tell them the truth about the job, never charge a fee, and listen when something goes wrong.
Ethical recruitment for H-2A and H-2B
Every season starts with a promise.
We're the recruiters, employers, and filing agents behind America's seasonal workforce. We came together to make sure every worker who travels to do this work is recruited honestly, treated fairly, and heard.
Why we exist
A good job starts long before the first day of work.
Before a worker ever reaches a farm, a hotel, or a landscaping crew, they've met a recruiter, signed a contract, sat for a consular interview, and said goodbye to their family. Those first steps shape everything that follows.
The U.S. seasonal labor programs are among the most regulated in the world. The law sets the floor. We believe the people who make our businesses possible deserve more than the minimum, so we're holding ourselves to a higher standard, together.
What we believe
- No one should pay for a job.
- People deserve the truth before they travel.
- Everyone should be able to speak up without fear.
- Responsibility belongs with whoever holds it.
- Steady improvement beats perfect paperwork.
Almost all of the people we recruit come back season after season. They're not a cost. They're the reason our businesses work.
How it works
Each of us has a part to play.
A worker's journey passes through many hands. We each take responsibility for the part we control, and we hold each other to it.
Employers
We welcome workers to the job. We pay what we promised, keep housing and transportation safe, and make it easy to raise a concern.
Filing agents
We prepare the petitions that make it all possible, and we keep them accurate, honest, and on time.
Many of us wear more than one hat. When we do, we take on every responsibility that comes with it.
Our standard
Nine commitments, shared by role.
| Commitment | Recruiters | Employers | Filing agents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Follow the law, and then someThe law is where we start, not where we stop. | |||
| No fees for a jobAny allowed costs are explained up front and repaid when the law requires. | |||
| The truth before travelClear terms, in the worker's own language, before anyone leaves home. | |||
| Zero forced laborNo coercion, no debt bondage, no holding anyone's documents. | |||
| Recruit responsiblyKnow our partners, train our people, act on concerns. | |||
| Pay and treat people fairlyWhat was promised is what's delivered. | |||
| Safe housing and travelSafe, lawful, and just as described. | |||
| A voice for every workerConcerns are heard, handled, and never punished. | |||
| Keep good recordsOrganized records and protected personal data. |
Joining
Joining is simple.
We built this for organizations of every size, from a family recruiter to a national provider.
Tell us what you do
Recruit, employ, file, or all three. Your commitments follow.
Take an honest look
A simple self-assessment shows where you are today.
Learn from a peer
A fellow member walks through it with you.
Keep getting better
Grow alongside members who share the same goal.
Why it matters
Doing right by workers is good business.
- Workers come backPeople return to, and recommend, the employers and recruiters who treat them well.
- Customers noticeGrowers, retailers, and buyers increasingly ask how workers were recruited. Members can show them.
- A seal that means somethingCertified members can share where they stand with confidence.
- We're stronger togetherShared tools, training, and a voice in how the standard grows.
Who we are
Started by people who have spent their careers in this work.
LabormexRecruitment and placementlabormex.com
másLaborH-2A and H-2B servicesmaslabor.com
WAFLAWorker and Farmer Labor Associationwafla.org
CIERTOEthical recruitment and trainingciertoglobal.org
Western GrowersFamily farmers of the Westwga.com
The people behind it
Lydia Hock
Founder and CEO, Labormex
A dual U.S. and Mexican citizen, Lydia founded Labormex in 2004 to bridge the labor gap between the two countries. Labormex connects U.S. employers with qualified Mexican workers through the H-2 programs, placing about 30,000 workers a year with a commitment to legal, fair, and transparent practice.
LinkedIn
Joe Martinez
Executive Director and Co-Founder, CIERTO
Joe co-founded CIERTO, a non-profit that recruits and trains workers from Mexico, Honduras, and Guatemala for employers in the U.S., Canada, and Spain. Its verification model protects workers from fraud, trafficking, and forced labor, and protects employers from bad recruitment. Joe works closely with NGOs and governments across North America.
LinkedIn
Enrique Gastelum
CEO, WAFLA
Enrique leads the Worker and Farmer Labor Association, championing labor-intensive agriculture across the Pacific Northwest. He grew up in a farmworker family, served as a government labor law regulator, and was CFO of the Washington Farm Bureau. He holds a B.S. in zoology and an MBA.
LinkedIn
Tom Bortnyk
SVP and General Counsel, másLabor
Tom is a nationally recognized expert on H-2 filing and regulatory compliance at másLabor, the nation's largest H-2A and H-2B provider. He also oversees its green card and professional visa services and its expansion into the EU. He holds a B.S. from Florida State and a J.D. from Washington and Lee.
LinkedIn
Join us
There's a place for you here.
Whether you recruit, employ, or file, we'd like to hear from you. Tell us a little about your work and we'll take it from there.
info@trustedrecruiteralliance.org