FRANKFORT, KY (WOWK) – The Kentucky Labor Cabinet has launched an online survey to gather information on how much employers paid tobacco farm workers in the 2020 crop year.

The cabinet says the survey is a step toward establishing a prevailing wage for tobacco farm workers in the state. According to cabinet officials, if the survey has sufficient participation, it can help determine the prevailing wage for piece (per unit) rates employers that employ H-2A visa workers offer for cutting tobacco and other tobacco-related tasks.

The U.S. Department of Labor defines a prevailing wage as “the average wage paid to similarly employed workers in a specific occupation in the area of intended employment,” according to the KLC.

The Career Development Office has conducted similar surveys with tobacco growers and tobacco receiving stations in previous years. The cabinet says the voluntary survey only takes a moment to complete and will be available for 90 days.

The survey is available online or by visiting the page for Agriculture workers on the Kentucky Career Center’s website.