Washington Farm Labor Contractor Fined $692,750 for Widespread Worker Violations

Washington state regulators on June 16 cited Moxee-based farm labor contractor Superbee Contracting LLC with nearly $700,000 in fines for allegedly breaking multiple worker protection laws, affecting almost 1,200 farmworkers across the state and in Oregon.

The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) issued the citation for $692,750, detailing six distinct violations at 15 farms in Washington's Benton, Yakima, Walla Walla, and Franklin counties, as well as in Hermiston, Oregon. The enforcement action highlights increasing scrutiny on the agricultural labor sector, particularly firms that rely on vulnerable migrant and guest worker populations.

The scale of this penalty is a stark reminder that regulatory compliance is not an administrative afterthought; it's a core business function with severe financial consequences. For companies in labor-intensive industries, overlooking basic requirements like proper documentation and insurance can quickly escalate into an existential threat.

According to the L&I investigation, Superbee failed to provide 702 workers with legally required written information about their employment, including details on work locations, crops, job duties, housing, transportation, and pay. An additional 487 employees received only partial information. The company was also cited for failing to prove it provided workers with pay statements and for hiring an unlicensed farm labor contractor.

A key violation involved worker transportation. L&I alleges Superbee falsely stated on its licensing application that it did not transport workers, yet it did so without the required liability insurance, placing its employees at significant risk.

“These are serious violations affecting the welfare of particularly vulnerable workers,” said Bryan Templeton, L&I’s Employment Standards Program manager, in a statement. “Many are from another country and don’t speak English.”

The investigation into Superbee also uncovered a web of connections to another troubled contractor, Harvest Plus Contracting LLC of Kennewick. Regulators found that Superbee failed to disclose that the owner of Harvest Plus held a financial interest in its operations. This connection is significant, as L&I had denied Harvest Plus's application to work as a labor contractor in 2023, after which Superbee began its operations. Harvest Plus itself was cited in October 2025 for its own farm labor violations, facing penalties of more than $94,000.

We often see situations where complex corporate structures and undisclosed relationships are used to sidestep regulations. This case highlights the critical need for transparent operations and rigorous internal controls. Effective business process reengineering is essential to ensure that every part of an organization, from licensing applications to payroll and worker transport, adheres to the law. Without clear, documented, and compliant processes, companies leave themselves exposed to crippling fines and legal action.

The state-level citations are separate from, but related to, an ongoing federal criminal case. Giovanna Sierra Carrillo, who served as Superbee's controller and business agent, pleaded guilty in April to federal charges of fraud in contracting foreign laborers and aggravated identity theft. These charges were tied to her work with Harvest Plus. Carrillo is scheduled to be sentenced on September 24 in U.S. District Court in Richland, Washington.

Furthermore, the owner of Harvest Plus and three other individuals were indicted earlier this year by the U.S. Attorney for Eastern Washington on 51 counts related to allegedly obtaining H-2A visas illegally and exploiting the foreign workers they brought into the country.

The H-2A temporary agricultural worker program is a critical component of Washington's farming industry. The state is one of the five most dependent on H-2A workers in the U.S., with the number of such workers growing to approximately 33,000 in the last decade. The program's complexity and the vulnerability of the workforce create opportunities for exploitation that regulators are increasingly scrutinizing.

The fine against Superbee, while substantial, is not an isolated event. In May 2025, L&I levied its largest-ever fine for farm labor contractor violations against Pacific Agri-Services, a Richland-based company. The $1.25 million penalty was for failing to provide nearly 5,000 workers with the required written statements about their working conditions.

The pattern of enforcement from Washington's L&I sends a clear message: paperwork is not just paperwork. It is the legal foundation of the employer-employee relationship, and regulators are treating failures with the utmost seriousness. For any business owner in a highly regulated field, this should be a wake-up call to review and strengthen their compliance protocols immediately. Proactive management of these obligations is the only way to avoid such devastating outcomes. For guidance on navigating these complex regulatory landscapes, business owners can contact C&S Finance Group LLC at csfinancegroup.com.

L&I has stated that Superbee Contracting, which is owned by Esther Carrillo of Moxee, is no longer believed to be in business. The company has 30 days from the June 16 citation to appeal the violations and penalties.

With the September sentencing of a key figure in the related federal case and the ongoing appeal window for Superbee's massive fine, the agricultural labor sector in the Pacific Northwest will remain under a regulatory microscope. Observers will be watching to see if this enforcement trend leads to broader changes in how farm labor contractors operate and manage their compliance obligations with both state and federal H-2A program rules.