Show x Ig J c OCTAL TY SOCIAL SECURITY FOR FARM WORKERS I i I 1 want to do what's right for Frank Harvey Hes He's worked for forme forme forme me for a long time time time-he's he's hes a good rod farm hand and an honest f family man It was George Wilson operator of the x Ranch talking to the manager of his local social socia G security ll ity office What Wilson wanted to know was whether Harveys Harvey's farm work would count toward old-age old and survivors insurance The answer Wilson got applies to tens of thousands of other othel Frank Prank Harveys who earn a livelihood by agricultural work so lets let's s tell it here here here-as as if you are that farm worker Before you become eligible for social security credit as a farm I laborer you must first work a full calendar quarter for one em em- A calendar quarter consists of the three consecutive months beginning on January 1 April 1 July 1 or October 1 You must remain in the employ of the same employer throughout this first or qualifying calendar I quarter although you do not necessarily have to do farm work for him Nor is it necessary that you work any particular number of days or for a certain amount of wages You do not receive any social security credit for your earnings from farm work during that period but the work during the period qualifies you so that you can get social security credit for further work for the same employer Durin During the next month 3 period you must be employed by the same farmer on a time full-time basis you must earn at least 50 in cash wages and you must perform agricultural agricultural agricultural ag- ag I work on at least 60 days Full time means the prevailing work arrangement for that type of work in your community If you are are ill and cannot work on certain days if you report for work and are excused for the entire entire entire en en- tire day or part of the day if weather prevents you from working working working work work- ing or even if you get a vacation during that period period but but get paid for these days as if you worked time full-time on each of them then them then these days count for your social security credit The 60 GO or more working days do not have to be consecutive days or in consecutive weeks x If you have met this regularity test and have been paid cash wages of at least 50 for your agricultural work for this farm operator during that second quarter your cash wages will be credited to your social security account The word cash cashis is stressed because wages in kind kind kind- rent meals a share in the har- har vest are are not counted toward social security benefits Only the wages you receive in cash or checks etc count Your cash earnings in subsequent calendar quarters also will count as long as you remain in iri the employ of this same farm operator and perform agricultural work on the same basis for at least 60 days Now lets let's suppose that a time when you are not paid for foras foras foras as many as as s 60 different days of agricultural work by bi your employer in a certain calendar quarter You will get axial social security credit for I your earnings in this quarter if I your cash wages are as much muchas I as as' 50 Your failure to do farm work for as man many as 60 days may mayor or ormay ormay I may not break your continuity of employment This continuity will I not not- ba b broken coKen for example if you do agricultural work for less than I 60 days and then work for the same employer in some som other capacity during the rest of the quarter In that case case you could meet the 60 day 50 test in the following quarter quarter quarter ter for the same operator You could earn social security credits without a break On the other hand your failure to earn cash wages for as many many as 60 GO days of farm work may be because because be be- cause you lost or gave up your job or your farm work may be of a seasonal nature A A calendar quarter quarter quarter ter may come when it will not be possible for your employer to pay you for as many as 60 days of farm work or to keep you in his employ continuously doing some nonagricultural nonagricultural nonagricultural cultural work In that case even if if you meet the 60 day 50 test in the following calendar quarter you will wiIl not earn social security credit for that work You must spend another qualifying quarter of continuous employment either with the same farm operator or another one before your agricultural agricultural tural work could again count toward to toward toward to- to ward social security benefits Frank Harvey does not have this problem He is r regularly employed by George Wilson on a time full-time basis calendar quarter after calendar calendar cal cal- cal 1 quarter the year around In every quarter he is paid well over 50 for at least 60 GO different days of work Harvey is a typical example of ofa a farm worker who is consistently building old-age old and survivors in insurance insurance insurance in- in protection for himself and for his family As Wilson said to the social security office interviewer interviewer interviewer inter inter- viewer I want to do what's right for Frank Harvey Wilson now understands just what to do Four times a year he reports the cash wages paid to his worker and pays the 3 percent social social so so- social cial security tax one half of this tax he deducts from Harveys Harvey's cash wages Wilsons Wilson's contribution is an equal amount He sends the reports reports reports re re- re- re ports together with the tax to the collector of internal revenue These cash wages are credit credited d to Harveys Harvey's social security account In old age or in case of his untimely untimely untimely un un- un- un timely death this farm worker and his dependent family have the protection protection pro pro- protection of social security |