<section article="gle" article_name="Labor and Employment" number="7-101" title_number="7" title_name="Farm Labor Contractors" subtitle_number="1" subtitle_name="Definitions; General Provisions"> <level label="a"> <text>In this title the following words have the meanings indicated.</text> </level> <level label="b"> <text>“Agricultural operation” means:</text> <level label="1"> <text>a person:</text> <level label="i"> <text>who performs a farm labor contracting service; and</text> </level> <level label="ii"> <text>who:</text> <level label="1"> <text>owns or operates a farm;</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>owns or operates a cannery, packing shed, or other processing establishment; or</text> </level> <level label="3"> <text>produces or conditions seed; or</text> </level> </level> </level> <level label="2"> <text>a nonprofit or cooperative association that:</text> <level label="i"> <text>performs a farm labor contracting service;</text> </level> <level label="ii"> <text>consists of owners or operators of farms; and</text> </level> <level label="iii"> <text>is incorporated or qualified under the laws of the State.</text> </level> </level> </level> <level label="c"> <text>“Agricultural work” means employment:</text> <level label="1"> <text>on a farm, in any activity that relates to the maintenance, management, or operation of the farm or its tools or other equipment, including cultivation of soil, raising of bees, or the growing, harvesting, or producing of an agricultural or horticultural commodity; or</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>by the owner or operator of a farm, to dry, to freeze, to grade, to pack, to package, to plant, to process, or otherwise to handle an agricultural or horticultural commodity in its unmanufactured state before delivery for storage.</text> </level> </level> <level label="d"> <text>“Commissioner” means the Commissioner of Labor and Industry.</text> </level> <level label="e"> <level label="1"> <text>“Farm” means an area that is used primarily to raise an agricultural or horticultural commodity.</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>“Farm” includes:</text> <level label="i"> <text>a dairy farm;</text> </level> <level label="ii"> <text>a fruit farm;</text> </level> <level label="iii"> <text>a furbearing animal farm;</text> </level> <level label="iv"> <text>a greenhouse;</text> </level> <level label="v"> <text>a nursery;</text> </level> <level label="vi"> <text>an orchard;</text> </level> <level label="vii"> <text>a poultry farm;</text> </level> <level label="viii"> <text>a ranch;</text> </level> <level label="ix"> <text>a stock farm; and</text> </level> <level label="x"> <text>a truck farm.</text> </level> </level> </level> <level label="f"> <text>“Farm labor contractor” means a person, other than an agricultural operation or an employee of an agricultural operation, who performs a farm labor contracting service for consideration.</text> </level> <level label="g"> <text>“License” means a license issued by the Commissioner to perform farm labor contracting services for consideration.</text> </level> <level label="h"> <text>“Licensed farm labor contractor” means an individual who is licensed by the Commissioner to perform farm labor contracting services for consideration.</text> </level> <level label="i"> <level label="1"> <text>“Migrant agricultural worker” means, except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, an individual who:</text> <level label="i"> <text>is employed to perform agricultural work of a seasonal or other temporary nature; and</text> </level> <level label="ii"> <text>in the course of employment:</text> <level label="1"> <text>is absent overnight from the permanent place of residence of the individual; or</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>as part of a day-haul operation, is transported or caused to be transported by a farm labor contractor or an agent of a farm labor contractor to or from the place of employment.</text> </level> </level> </level> <level label="2"> <text>“Migrant agricultural worker” does not include:</text> <level label="i"> <text>an immediate family member of the owner or operator of a farm or a cannery, packing shed, or other processing establishment;</text> </level> <level label="ii"> <text>an immediate family member of an individual who produces or conditions seeds;</text> </level> <level label="iii"> <text>an immediate family member of a farm labor contractor; or</text> </level> <level label="iv"> <text>a nonimmigrant alien, as defined in 8 U.S.C. § 1101(a)(15)(H)(ii)(a), who is authorized under federal law to work in agricultural employment in the United States.</text> </level> </level> </level> <level label="j"> <text>“Perform a farm labor contracting service” means to recruit, to employ, to hire, to provide, to solicit, to transport, or to provide housing for a migrant agricultural worker.</text> </level> </section> <section article="gle" article_name="Labor and Employment" number="7-102" title_number="7" title_name="Farm Labor Contractors" subtitle_number="1" subtitle_name="Definitions; General Provisions"> <level label="a"> <text>This title does not apply:</text> <level label="1"> <text>to a common carrier or an employee of a common carrier solely because it transports a migrant agricultural worker;</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>to a custom grain combine, hay harvesting, or sheep shearing operation or to an employee of the operation while the employee is performing a farm labor contracting service only for the operation;</text> </level> <level label="3"> <text>to an individual who performs farm labor contracting services, or an employee of the individual while the employee is performing a farm labor contracting service only for the individual, within a 25–mile intrastate radius of the permanent place of residence of the individual and not exceeding 13 weeks a year;</text> </level> <level label="4"> <text>to an agricultural operation when engaging a farm labor contractor through the Maryland Department of Labor; or</text> </level> <level label="5"> <text>to an individual who performs farm labor contracting services only for a farm or a cannery, packing shed, seed conditioning establishment, or other processing establishment, if:</text> <level label="i"> <text>the individual or an immediate family member of the individual exclusively owns and operates the farm or establishment; and</text> </level> <level label="ii"> <text>only the individual and immediate family members of the individual perform farm labor contracting services for the farm or establishment.</text> </level> </level> </level> <level label="b"> <text>This title does not apply:</text> <level label="1"> <text>to any person other than a farm labor contractor to whom no more than 10 migrant agricultural workers are provided at any time during the current and preceding calendar years;</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>to an individual while acting as an employee of an agricultural operation that is excluded under item (1) of this subsection; or</text> </level> <level label="3"> <text>to a custom operation for poultry harvesting, breeding, debeaking, sexing, or health service or to an employee of the operation while the employee is performing a farm labor contracting service only for the operation, unless the operation regularly requires an employee to be absent during nonworking hours from the domicile of the employee.</text> </level> </level> </section> <section article="gle" article_name="Labor and Employment" number="7-103" title_number="7" title_name="Farm Labor Contractors" subtitle_number="1" subtitle_name="Definitions; General Provisions"> <text>An agreement by a migrant agricultural worker to waive or modify a right of the migrant agricultural worker under this title is void as contrary to public policy.</text> </section> <section article="gle" article_name="Labor and Employment" number="7-201" title_number="7" title_name="Farm Labor Contractors" subtitle_number="2" subtitle_name="Administration"> <text>To the extent practicable, the Commissioner shall reduce duplication of the licensing requirements and enforcement procedures under this title and any applicable federal law through an agreement with the United States Secretary of Labor that establishes a cooperative program to coordinate licensing and enforcement activities under this title with any coextensive program that the Department of Labor administers.</text> </section> <section article="gle" article_name="Labor and Employment" number="7-202" title_number="7" title_name="Farm Labor Contractors" subtitle_number="2" subtitle_name="Administration"> <level label="a"> <text>The Commissioner shall administer and enforce this title.</text> </level> <level label="b"> <text>To administer or enforce this title, the Commissioner may:</text> <level label="1"> <text>conduct necessary investigations; and</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>enter, at reasonable times, without delay:</text> <level label="i"> <text>a migratory labor camp;</text> </level> <level label="ii"> <text>a place of employment; or</text> </level> <level label="iii"> <text>housing that a farm labor contractor provides to a migrant agricultural worker.</text> </level> </level> </level> <level label="c"> <text>To administer or enforce this title, the Commissioner may administer oaths and depose witnesses.</text> </level> <level label="d"> <level label="1"> <text>To administer or enforce this title, the Commissioner may issue a subpoena for the attendance of a witness to testify or the production of books, documents, papers, and records.</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>If a person fails to comply with a subpoena issued under this subsection or fails to testify on any matter on which the person lawfully may be interrogated, on a complaint filed by the Commissioner, the circuit court for the county where the person resides or is then present may pass an order directing compliance with the subpoena or compelling testimony.</text> </level> </level> </section> <section article="gle" article_name="Labor and Employment" number="7-203" title_number="7" title_name="Farm Labor Contractors" subtitle_number="2" subtitle_name="Administration"> <level label="a"> <text>In addition to any powers set forth elsewhere, the Commissioner:</text> <level label="1"> <text>may accept from any source a grant to carry out this title; and</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>to administer or enforce this title, may certify to official acts.</text> </level> </level> <level label="b"> <text>In addition to any duties set forth elsewhere, the Commissioner shall keep a central public registry of all licensed farm labor contractors.</text> </level> </section> <section article="gle" article_name="Labor and Employment" number="7-204" title_number="7" title_name="Farm Labor Contractors" subtitle_number="2" subtitle_name="Administration"> <text>The Commissioner may delegate any power or duty of the Commissioner under this title.</text> </section> <section article="gle" article_name="Labor and Employment" number="7-205" title_number="7" title_name="Farm Labor Contractors" subtitle_number="2" subtitle_name="Administration"> <text>On request of the Commissioner, the Attorney General may proceed in a court or before a federal unit to enforce:</text> <level label="1"> <text>a decision of the Commissioner made under this title;</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>a subpoena issued under this title;</text> </level> <level label="3"> <text>an order of the Commissioner passed under this title; or</text> </level> <level label="4"> <text>the collection of a civil penalty assessed under this title.</text> </level> </section> <section article="gle" article_name="Labor and Employment" number="7-301" title_number="7" title_name="Farm Labor Contractors" subtitle_number="3"> <text>Except as otherwise provided in this title or §§ 10–14A–03 and 10–14B–03 of the State Government Article, an individual shall be licensed by the Commissioner before the individual may perform a farm labor contracting service in the State for consideration.</text> </section> <section article="gle" article_name="Labor and Employment" number="7-302" title_number="7" title_name="Farm Labor Contractors" subtitle_number="3"> <level label="a"> <text>An applicant for a license shall:</text> <level label="1"> <text>submit to the Commissioner:</text> <level label="i"> <text>an application on the form that the Commissioner provides; and</text> </level> <level label="ii"> <text>two recent, passport sized, color photographs of the applicant; and</text> </level> </level> <level label="2"> <text>pay to the Commissioner an application fee of $25.</text> </level> </level> <level label="b"> <text>The application shall state:</text> <level label="1"> <text>the permanent place of residence of the applicant;</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>each address where the applicant expects to reside while in the State;</text> </level> <level label="3"> <text>each farm labor contracting service that the applicant will perform for consideration;</text> </level> <level label="4"> <text>the name and address of each agricultural operation for whom the applicant will perform a farm labor contracting service, in the State, for consideration;</text> </level> <level label="5"> <text>the name and permanent address of each person who will act as custodian of records of wages that are required under this title to be kept;</text> </level> <level label="6"> <text>the number of migrant agricultural workers that the applicant expects to use in the State to perform a farm labor contracting service for consideration;</text> </level> <level label="7"> <text>if the applicant will provide housing or cause housing to be provided to a migrant agricultural worker:</text> <level label="i"> <text>the name of each person who will provide the housing; and</text> </level> <level label="ii"> <text>each address where the housing will be provided;</text> </level> </level> <level label="8"> <text>if registration is required under the federal Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act, the registration identification number of the applicant;</text> </level> <level label="9"> <text>the name of a resident agent who is acceptable to the Commissioner;</text> </level> <level label="10"> <text>the consent of the applicant to service of process on the resident agent whenever the applicant leaves the State or otherwise is unavailable to accept service; and</text> </level> <level label="11"> <text>other relevant information that the Commissioner requires.</text> </level> </level> <level label="c"> <text>If information required under subsection (b) of this section changes, the applicant or, if a license has been issued, the licensee shall give the Commissioner notice of the change within 10 days after the applicant or licensee knows or should have known of the change.</text> </level> <level label="d"> <text>Information in an application or in a notice of change may not be used to imply legal responsibility on an agricultural operation for the care, custody, or activities of a migrant agricultural worker whom a farm labor contractor provides.</text> </level> <level label="e"> <text>The Commissioner shall make application forms reasonably available at convenient locations throughout the State.</text> </level> </section> <section article="gle" article_name="Labor and Employment" number="7-303" title_number="7" title_name="Farm Labor Contractors" subtitle_number="3"> <text>On receipt of an application for a license, the Commissioner shall investigate, as appropriate, to determine whether the applicant is entitled to be licensed.</text> </section> <section article="gle" article_name="Labor and Employment" number="7-304" title_number="7" title_name="Farm Labor Contractors" subtitle_number="3"> <level label="a"> <text>The Commissioner shall issue a license to each applicant who meets the requirements of this subtitle.</text> </level> <level label="b"> <text>The Commissioner shall attach to each license issued under this section a photograph of the licensee.</text> </level> </section> <section article="gle" article_name="Labor and Employment" number="7-305" title_number="7" title_name="Farm Labor Contractors" subtitle_number="3"> <text>While a license is in effect, it authorizes the licensee to perform farm labor contracting services for consideration.</text> </section> <section article="gle" article_name="Labor and Employment" number="7-306" title_number="7" title_name="Farm Labor Contractors" subtitle_number="3"> <text>A license expires on the first March 1 after its effective date.</text> </section> <section article="gle" article_name="Labor and Employment" number="7-307" title_number="7" title_name="Farm Labor Contractors" subtitle_number="3"> <text>While a licensee is performing a farm labor contracting service in the State, the licensee shall:</text> <level label="1"> <text>carry the license; and</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>show the license:</text> <level label="i"> <text>to each person with whom the licensee intends to deal as a farm labor contractor; and</text> </level> <level label="ii"> <text>on request, to an authorized employee or official of the State.</text> </level> </level> </section> <section article="gle" article_name="Labor and Employment" number="7-308" title_number="7" title_name="Farm Labor Contractors" subtitle_number="3"> <text>Subject to the hearing provisions of § 7–309 of this subtitle, the Commissioner may deny a license to any applicant or suspend or revoke a license if the applicant or licensee:</text> <level label="1"> <text>fraudulently or deceptively obtains or attempts to obtain a license for the applicant or licensee or for another;</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>fraudulently or deceptively uses a license;</text> </level> <level label="3"> <text>knowingly makes any misrepresentation in the application;</text> </level> <level label="4"> <text>is not the real party in interest in the application for a license and the real party in interest:</text> <level label="i"> <text>has been refused a license;</text> </level> <level label="ii"> <text>has had a license suspended or revoked; or</text> </level> <level label="iii"> <text>otherwise fails to qualify under this section for a license;</text> </level> </level> <level label="5"> <text>fails to comply with any provision of this title;</text> </level> <level label="6"> <text>fails to comply with any regulation that the Commissioner adopts;</text> </level> <level label="7"> <text>fails to comply with an order that the Commissioner passes;</text> </level> <level label="8"> <text>fails to satisfy a judgment that the Commissioner obtains under this title;</text> </level> <level label="9"> <text>knowingly gives a migrant agricultural worker who is recruited or hired false or misleading information about the existence or conditions of employment;</text> </level> <level label="10"> <text>fails, without just cause, to comply with any agreement or arrangement with an agricultural operation or with a migrant agricultural worker;</text> </level> <level label="11"> <text>is found by the Secretary of Health to have violated a regulation of the Secretary on housing, sanitation, or safety for migrant agricultural workers;</text> </level> <level label="12"> <text>has had a farm labor contractor registration certificate suspended or revoked by the United States Department of Labor or by another state for a reason that would justify suspension or revocation of a license in this State;</text> </level> <level label="13"> <text>has been convicted of a felony under a law of the State or under federal law; or</text> </level> <level label="14"> <text>during the past 5 years, has been convicted of a misdemeanor in connection with performing a farm labor contracting service if the misdemeanor relates to:</text> <level label="i"> <text>gambling;</text> </level> <level label="ii"> <text>sale, distribution, or possession of an alcoholic beverage; or</text> </level> <level label="iii"> <text>sale, distribution, or possession of a controlled dangerous substance.</text> </level> </level> </section> <section article="gle" article_name="Labor and Employment" number="7-309" title_number="7" title_name="Farm Labor Contractors" subtitle_number="3"> <level label="a"> <text>Except as provided in § 10-226 of the State Government Article or in § 7-310 of this subtitle, before the Commissioner takes any final action under § 7-308 of this subtitle, the Commissioner shall give the individual against whom the action is contemplated an opportunity for a hearing before the Commissioner.</text> </level> <level label="b"> <text>The Commissioner shall give notice and hold the hearing in accordance with Title 10, Subtitle 2 of the State Government Article.</text> </level> <level label="c"> <text>If, after due notice, the individual against whom the action is contemplated fails or refuses to appear, nevertheless the Commissioner may hear and determine the matter.</text> </level> </section> <section article="gle" article_name="Labor and Employment" number="7-310" title_number="7" title_name="Farm Labor Contractors" subtitle_number="3"> <text>The Commissioner may suspend a license summarily pending the determination of a hearing under § 7-309 of this subtitle if the Commissioner finds suspension necessary to prevent abuse of or injury to a migrant agricultural worker.</text> </section> <section article="gle" article_name="Labor and Employment" number="7-311" title_number="7" title_name="Farm Labor Contractors" subtitle_number="3"> <level label="a"> <text>If, after an investigation, the Commissioner has reason to believe that a person is performing a farm labor contracting service for consideration in the State without a license, the Commissioner may pass an order to require the person immediately to cease performing the farm labor contracting service.</text> </level> <level label="b"> <text>The Commissioner shall give notice of the order and, if requested under subsection (d) of this section, hold a hearing in accordance with Title 10, Subtitle 2 of the State Government Article.</text> </level> <level label="c"> <text>An order passed under this section shall be:</text> <level label="1"> <text>served personally; or</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>sent by certified mail to the last known address of the person.</text> </level> </level> <level label="d"> <level label="1"> <text>Within 7 days after service of an order under this section, the person may submit to the Commissioner a written request for a hearing.</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>Unless a person requests a hearing in accordance with paragraph (1) of this subsection, the order is final.</text> </level> </level> </section> <section article="gle" article_name="Labor and Employment" number="7-312" title_number="7" title_name="Farm Labor Contractors" subtitle_number="3"> <level label="a"> <text>Subject to subsection (b) of this section, the Commissioner may require a farm labor contractor to post a surety bond or other security if the Commissioner:</text> <level label="1"> <text>finds that the farm labor contractor has violated a provision of this title or any order that the Commissioner passes or regulation that the Commissioner adopts; or</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>receives a certified record of the finding of a unit of another state or the United States that the farm labor contractor has violated any law that relates to:</text> <level label="i"> <text>registration as a farm labor contractor; or</text> </level> <level label="ii"> <text>the employment of, provision of housing for, or transportation of a migrant agricultural worker.</text> </level> </level> </level> <level label="b"> <text>The Commissioner may not require security on the basis of an administrative decision that a court nullifies.</text> </level> <level label="c"> <text>The Commissioner may require security in an amount that the Commissioner considers adequate to ensure compliance with the laws of the State.</text> </level> </section> <section article="gle" article_name="Labor and Employment" number="7-313" title_number="7" title_name="Farm Labor Contractors" subtitle_number="3"> <text>Any person aggrieved by a final decision of the Commissioner in a contested case, as defined in § 10-202 of the State Government Article, may take an appeal as allowed in §§ 10-222 and 10-223 of the State Government Article.</text> </section> <section article="gle" article_name="Labor and Employment" number="7-401" title_number="7" title_name="Farm Labor Contractors" subtitle_number="4" subtitle_name="Responsibilities of Farm Labor Contractors"> <level label="a"> <level label="1"> <text>In accordance with this section, each farm labor contractor shall disclose to each migrant agricultural worker:</text> <level label="i"> <text>each place of employment in the State;</text> </level> <level label="ii"> <text>a description of the crops and activities involved;</text> </level> <level label="iii"> <text>each condition of employment at each place of employment, including:</text> <level label="1"> <text>the wage to be paid;</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>the person who will pay the wage; and</text> </level> <level label="3"> <text>when the wage is due;</text> </level> </level> <level label="iv"> <text>the housing, insurance, or transportation that will be provided to the migrant agricultural worker;</text> </level> <level label="v"> <text>any cost that will be charged to the migrant agricultural worker for housing, insurance, or transportation; and</text> </level> <level label="vi"> <text>each labor dispute that the farm labor contractor knows exists at a place of employment.</text> </level> </level> <level label="2"> <text>Each farm labor contractor shall disclose to a migrant agricultural worker the information required under this subsection:</text> <level label="i"> <text>before the farm labor contractor causes the migrant agricultural worker to enter the State to perform agricultural work;</text> </level> <level label="ii"> <text>if the migrant agricultural worker is recruited in the State, before the farm labor contractor recruits the migrant agricultural worker to perform agricultural work; or</text> </level> <level label="iii"> <text>if the farm labor contractor is in the State with a migrant agricultural worker and has recruited the migrant agricultural worker when an agricultural operation asks the farm labor contractor to perform a farm labor contracting service, before the farm labor contractor performs the service.</text> </level> </level> </level> <level label="b"> <text>Each farm labor contractor who provides housing for a migrant agricultural worker, by agreement with an agricultural operation or otherwise, shall ensure that all of the conditions of occupancy are posted conspicuously while the migrant agricultural worker stays in the housing.</text> </level> <level label="c"> <text>Information that a farm labor contractor is required to disclose under this section shall be:</text> <level label="1"> <text>in writing; and</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>in English or, as necessary and reasonable for migrant agricultural workers who are not fluent or literate in English, in Spanish or another language common to the migrant agricultural workers.</text> </level> </level> <level label="d"> <text>On request, the Commissioner shall make available to a farm labor contractor forms to be used to disclose information as required under this section.</text> </level> </section> <section article="gle" article_name="Labor and Employment" number="7-402" title_number="7" title_name="Farm Labor Contractors" subtitle_number="4" subtitle_name="Responsibilities of Farm Labor Contractors"> <text>Unless there is just cause for noncompliance, each farm labor contractor shall comply with:</text> <level label="1"> <text>each written agreement with an agricultural operation that relates to performing a farm labor contracting service or to protecting a migrant agricultural worker under this title;</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>each written agreement or working arrangement with a migrant agricultural worker; and</text> </level> <level label="3"> <text>each written description of conditions of employment, housing, or transportation that is required under this subtitle to be disclosed to migrant agricultural workers.</text> </level> </section> <section article="gle" article_name="Labor and Employment" number="7-403" title_number="7" title_name="Farm Labor Contractors" subtitle_number="4" subtitle_name="Responsibilities of Farm Labor Contractors"> <level label="a"> <text>The Commissioner may require, by regulation, a farm labor contractor to keep records of:</text> <level label="1"> <text>wages owed to each migrant agricultural worker for agricultural work performed in the State; and</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>wages paid to each migrant agricultural worker for agricultural work performed in the State.</text> </level> </level> <level label="b"> <text>A farm labor contractor shall keep all of the records required under subsection (a) of this section even if the farm labor contractor is not responsible for paying a migrant agricultural worker.</text> </level> </section> <section article="gle" article_name="Labor and Employment" number="7-404" title_number="7" title_name="Farm Labor Contractors" subtitle_number="4" subtitle_name="Responsibilities of Farm Labor Contractors"> <level label="a"> <text>Each farm labor contractor shall ensure that each vehicle that the farm labor contractor uses or causes to be used to transport a migrant agricultural worker in the State meets applicable federal and State standards for safety.</text> </level> <level label="b"> <text>Each farm labor contractor shall ensure that the driver of each vehicle that the farm labor contractor uses or causes to be used to transport a migrant agricultural worker in the State is authorized under Title 16 of the Transportation Article to drive the vehicle.</text> </level> <level label="c"> <level label="1"> <text>Each farm labor contractor shall ensure that the owner of each vehicle that the farm labor contractor uses or causes to be used to transport a migrant agricultural worker in the State has a policy that insures against liability for bodily injury and damage to property that arises from the ownership or operation of the vehicle.</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>The Commissioner shall set, by regulation, the minimum amount of insurance coverage required under paragraph (1) of this subsection, but the amount may not exceed the coverage required under federal law.</text> </level> </level> </section> <section article="gle" article_name="Labor and Employment" number="7-501" title_number="7" title_name="Farm Labor Contractors" subtitle_number="5"> <text>Except as otherwise provided in this title, a person may not perform a farm labor contracting service in the State for consideration unless licensed by the Commissioner.</text> </section> <section article="gle" article_name="Labor and Employment" number="7-502" title_number="7" title_name="Farm Labor Contractors" subtitle_number="5"> <text>Unless authorized under this title to perform a farm labor contracting service for consideration, a person may not represent to the public, by the use of a title, including “licensed farm labor contractor”, by description of services, methods, or procedures, or otherwise, that the person is authorized to perform a farm labor contracting service in the State for consideration.</text> </section> <section article="gle" article_name="Labor and Employment" number="7-503" title_number="7" title_name="Farm Labor Contractors" subtitle_number="5"> <level label="a"> <text>Except as otherwise provided in this title, a person may not use a farm labor contractor to perform a farm labor contracting service unless the person ascertains that the farm labor contractor is licensed by:</text> <level label="1"> <text>requesting confirmation from the Commissioner that the farm labor contractor is licensed; or</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>examining the license.</text> </level> </level> <level label="b"> <level label="1"> <text>Whenever a person makes a request under subsection (a)(1) of this section, the Commissioner shall inform the person whether the farm labor contractor is licensed.</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>Within 5 working days after a person makes a request under subsection (a)(1) of this section, the Commissioner shall respond in writing.</text> </level> <level label="3"> <text>If the status changes during the term of the license, the Commissioner shall give the person who made the request written notice of the change.</text> </level> <level label="4"> <text>If the Commissioner fails to provide the notice required under this subsection, a person is not liable for hiring a person who is not authorized to perform farm labor contracting services in the State.</text> </level> </level> <level label="c"> <text>Notwithstanding subsection (b)(4) of this section, a person may not hire or continue to use a farm labor contractor to perform a farm labor contracting service after the person receives notice from the Commissioner or otherwise learns that the farm labor contractor is not licensed.</text> </level> </section> <section article="gle" article_name="Labor and Employment" number="7-504" title_number="7" title_name="Farm Labor Contractors" subtitle_number="5"> <text>A person may not interfere with or intimidate an official or other employee of the Maryland Department of Labor assigned to carry out a function under this title.</text> </section> <section article="gle" article_name="Labor and Employment" number="7-505" title_number="7" title_name="Farm Labor Contractors" subtitle_number="5"> <text>A person may not assign or transfer a license.</text> </section> <section article="gle" article_name="Labor and Employment" number="7-506" title_number="7" title_name="Farm Labor Contractors" subtitle_number="5"> <level label="a"> <text>Subject to the limitations in this section, the Commissioner may assess a civil penalty against a person who willfully or repeatedly violates:</text> <level label="1"> <text>any provision of this title;</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>any order passed under this title; or</text> </level> <level label="3"> <text>any regulation adopted to carry out this title.</text> </level> </level> <level label="b"> <text>A civil penalty under this section may not exceed $5,000 for each violation.</text> </level> <level label="c"> <level label="1"> <text>Before the Commissioner assesses a civil penalty against an agricultural operation, the Commissioner shall consider the appropriateness of the penalty in relation to:</text> <level label="i"> <text>the size of the business;</text> </level> <level label="ii"> <text>any good faith effort to comply with § 7-503 of this subtitle; and</text> </level> <level label="iii"> <text>the history of previous violations.</text> </level> </level> <level label="2"> <text>Before the Commissioner assesses a civil penalty against a farm labor contractor, the Commissioner shall consider the appropriateness of the penalty in relation to:</text> <level label="i"> <text>the size of the business;</text> </level> <level label="ii"> <text>the gravity of the violation;</text> </level> <level label="iii"> <text>the good faith of the farm labor contractor; and</text> </level> <level label="iv"> <text>the history of previous violations in this State or in any other state that relate to licensing or to the treatment of a migrant agricultural worker.</text> </level> </level> </level> </section> <section article="gle" article_name="Labor and Employment" number="7-507" title_number="7" title_name="Farm Labor Contractors" subtitle_number="5"> <text>A farm labor contractor who willfully violates any provision of this title or any regulation adopted to carry out this title is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject:</text> <level label="1"> <text>for a first offense, to a fine not exceeding $5,000 or imprisonment not exceeding 1 year or both; and</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>for a subsequent offense, to a fine not exceeding $10,000 or imprisonment not exceeding 3 years or both.</text> </level> </section>