The Virginia Employment Commission (VEC) has an opportunity for a qualified individual to fill the role of Agriculture and Foreign Labor Specialist in our Workforce Services Division (WSD) in the Emporia area. The WSD’s primary function is to focus on employment opportunities and assist Virginia’s employers in hiring qualified job seekers to fill employer’s open positions. Under the Agriculture and Foreign Labor Certification Program, this position provides a full range of services to employers and the general public to promote use of the labor exchange system, with special mandated focus on migrant and seasonal farm workers (MSFWs).

In this role, the selected candidate will deliver a full range of services to the public with special emphasis on Migrant and Seasonal Farm Workers. This emphasis will include such responsibilities as conducting outreach to meet with MSFWs who may not be being reached by the normal intake activities conducted by local office staff in order to provide job service information, registration, referrals to supportive services, and information on the job service complaint system. It will also include recruiting, interviewing, and referring Migrant Seasonal Farm Workers for employment. This position will also conduct outreach and partner with the agricultural and non-agricultural community employer community by introducing our agency’s services to primarily agricultural employers, writing agricultural job orders, conducting pre-occupancy Migrant Seasonal Farm Worker housing inspections and field checks, making note of any deficiencies, making recommendations, and then following up to ensure corrective measures were taken.

The Agriculture and Foreign Labor Specialist will also be responsible for processing job orders through the Agricultural Recruiting System, and providing information and training to growers and workers regarding the policies, laws, and regulations surrounding the use of Migrant Seasonal Farm Worker labor. The Specialist will conduct pre-occupancy housing inspections and field checks on employer-furnished housing facilities, cite deficiencies and makes recommendations, conduct follow-up visits to ensure corrective action was implemented, and report their findings. This position will also assist with job fairs or career days as needed, and provide foreign language translation services as necessary.

At the VEC, we strive every day to be the embodiment of our values of People, Accuracy, Teamwork, and Efficiency, as we support our mission by providing services in the areas of Job Placement, Unemployment Insurance, Workforce Development, and Economic Information. So, why work for the VEC? As the largest employment agency in Virginia, employees of the VEC have many different jobs but all share one common purpose – providing service to our customers, whether they are external or internal. If this sounds like a mission that you would like to be a part of, apply today!

If you haven’t considered the perks of working for State government, you should! This salaried position offers Commonwealth of Virginia employee benefits such as:

Please click here for more information about the benefits of working for the Commonwealth.

This position will service the areas of Brunswick, Greensville, Mecklenburg, Lunenburg, Prince Edward, Nottoway, Amelia, Powhatan, Cumberland, and Appomattox.

This is an “Open Until Filled” recruitment. Although this recruitment will remain open until the position is filled, you are strongly encouraged to apply early for consideration if this position interests you as the recruitment may be closed at any time after the minimum 5 day recruitment period.

Effective July 5, 2022, in accordance with the Governor of Virginia and pre-pandemic policies, Virginia State Employees will return to the physical workplace. Telework may be an option for certain eligible positions. You can read the Commonwealth’s Telework Policy here .

Diversity and inclusivity are at the heart of what we do in Virginia, and the VEC is committed to upholding these values in our employment opportunities across the Commonwealth to people from all backgrounds, including all races, ethnicities, genders, and abilities.

Commonwealth’s Alternative Hiring Process ( AHP ): In support of the Commonwealth’s commitment to inclusion, we encourage individuals with disabilities to apply using the AHP. When applying for employment opportunities at this Agency, applicants requesting AHP consideration will need to provide their Certificate of Disability (COD) issued by a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor within the Department for Aging & Rehabilitative Services (DARS). To obtain a Certificate of Disability, you may click here, or call DARS at 800-552-5019.

The Virginia Employment Commission Is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Program, and a Virginia Values Veterans (V3) certified employer. AmeriCorps, Peace Corps, and other national service alumni are encouraged to apply.

The VEC does not provide sponsorship; therefore, applicants must be a citizen or national of the U.S., a Lawful Permanent Resident, or an alien authorized to work in the US.

NOTICE : VEC will record information from each new employee’s Form I-9 (Employment Eligibility Verification) into the Federal E-Verify system to confirm identity and work authorization.