Legal Definitions - manual labor

Manual labor refers to work where the primary effort comes from a person's physical strength and bodily movement. This type of work often involves using one's hands and body to perform tasks, even if simple tools or machinery are also employed to assist in the process.

Here are some examples to illustrate this concept:

• Imagine a landscaper who spends their day digging trenches for irrigation, pushing heavy wheelbarrows filled with soil, and manually laying paving stones. Even though they might use shovels and wheelbarrows, the core of their job relies on their physical strength and endurance to move earth and materials.

  This illustrates manual labor because the essential tasks—digging, pushing, and lifting—are performed directly through the landscaper's muscular exertion and physical effort.

• Consider a furniture mover whose job involves carefully lifting, carrying, and positioning heavy sofas, tables, and boxes into and out of homes and trucks. While they might use straps or dollies for assistance, the fundamental act of transporting these items requires significant physical strength and coordination.

  This is an example of manual labor because the primary activity involves the direct physical handling and movement of heavy objects using the mover's own body and strength.

• Think about a dockworker responsible for unloading cargo from ships or trucks. They might use forklifts for very large items, but much of their day involves manually stacking crates, pushing heavy pallets, and securing loads with ropes and chains. These tasks require constant bending, lifting, and pulling.

  This demonstrates manual labor because a significant portion of the work involves direct physical manipulation of goods, relying on the worker's strength and physical presence to manage the cargo.