CASA is out of mont. co. Perhaps Langley Park, That is where my brother goes to pick up day laborers.
I know LP is one site because there is a large latino population there, MAry

They can do a variety of home improvement projects. I use them to help in the landscaping, such as cleaning out shrubs, raking, moving mulch, etc. At CASA you can request workers that speak English and have some experience with your project. I think they charge $12 per hour.

Thanks guys! So, if you're interested in this, how does it work, exactly? Is there some kind of office? Can they be reached by phone? Sorry to sound so ignorant about this...but I am! LOL!

Aly

CASA has an office on University Blvd just east of Flower Ave, that acts as a labor exchange, Monday through Friday, 6 AM to noon. You pay a premium ($12/hr vice the $6/hr you'd pay a laborer picked out of the herd at the local 7-11) but you get someone ostensibly with the skillset you want -- and who is more of a known quantity as far as reliability and possible criminality -- and the workers get protection from potentially abusive employers. I understand that CASA does NOT get a cut of the worker's pay; it is a prizewinning nonprofit. I have hired diggers, gravel-drive weeders, painters, wall-builders (the latter knew how by the end of the day, but not when they started, and I DID complain!). I specify that I want someone who can speak at least some English or French (I have no Spanish) and who will take orders from a woman. Some won't, and I'd rather they know upfront who the boss will be. You can dicker with the workers/CASA over whether they get paid for

1. transit time (I normally carry them to my house in my station wagon, then either drop them back at CASA when we're done or take them to a prearranged bus or metro stop. This takes about half an hour each way. At $12/hour, I do not pay for transit time.)

2. lunch arrangements (I usually cook them chicken and veggies with rice, and provide soft drinks of their choice over the course of the workday, all of which I pay for, but I do not pay them for the time they spend eating)

If you like a given worker, you are free to hire him/her for followon work without going through CASA. Please give consideration to hiring at least one woman on your workteam; it is MUCH harder for women to find jobs through this sort of labor pool.

The phone number, if you want more info, is (301)431-4177. They may be able to tell you if there are similar labor exchanges closer to where you live. I highly recommend them.

Lynn

Thanks so much, Lynn. That's exactly what I needed to know.

Aly

Does anyone know if there is a similar org in PG?

Les

There was an article in the Washington Post last week, I think in the HOME section, about labor exchanges. The only one they mentioned by name was CASA, but the paper said CASA is open on Saturday -- I didn't think they were, and Mary (Manure Queen) tells me she hires workers there on Saturday but it's not through the normal CASA process -- the workers just come hang out on Saturday like at any other pick-em-up site. I wish the Post HAD named other orgs/sites...

Lynn