Labor Exchange


Labor Exchange, affectionately referred to as LEX, is a popular program among the FEC communities. People who want to take a break from their home community are nearly always welcome as visiting workers at the other communities, and receive credit at home for the hours completed. Just like members, guests on labor exchange receive a place to stay, food, and other amenities. Length of labor exchange varies from a few hours (for communities located within a few miles of each other) to several weeks.

These relationships are built into the fabric of our community rhythms. For example, Sandhill Farm in Missouri relies heavily on outside help to bring in the harvest of their main sorghum crop each fall. It's a high energy time there. In the winter when the farm and garden season is restful, Sandhill folks head out to the other communities to repay the labor they received.

Any of our member communities are also free to set up labor exchange with other communities as they see fit, whether or not those communities are part of our association.

The FEC supports labor exchange with travel subsidies, available with our LETS (Labor Exchange Travel Subsidy) budget.  FEC Communities in Dialog must get approval of delegates before spending LETS funds.  For FEC full member communities, the FEC will automatically pay for:
(a) two long-distance trips per year or
(b) one long-distance trip per year, and two short-distance trips (under 50 miles) per week.

The complete text of our Labor Exchange Travel Subsidy (LETS) Policy.