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Petitioners presented as evidence a document alleged to be
an employment contract between Ms. Poyda and her husband.
According to the terms of this document, dated January 1, 1992,
Ms. Poyda agreed to work 35 hours per week for her husband at a
monthly salary of $100. Whether petitioners intended this
document to be an actual, binding contract is doubtful, primarily
because of the following reasons.
First, the document required Ms. Poyda to work 35 hours per
week at a monthly salary of $100, which would amount to less than
$1 per hour. Ms. Poyda actually earned a monthly salary of
approximately $433 and $450 in 1995 and 1996, respectively.
Although these amounts are more reasonable, they do not conform
to the document.
Second, we are not convinced that Ms. Poyda spent 35 hours
per week throughout the year on the farm, as specified in the
document. Mr. Poyda testified that Ms. Poyda worked 35 hours per
week throughout the year doing “the majority of the work in the
Christmas trees,” including participation in planting,
fertilizing, mowing, pruning, and related activity, as well as
all of the “bookworks, phone works, any orders coming in.” Ms.
Poyda did not testify concerning her own activities. Petitioners
presented no evidence corroborating Mr. Poyda’s testimony, nor
did they provide any details other than these general and
conclusory statements. Furthermore, the work on the farm was
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