Positive commandment · Mitzvat Aseh #201 of 613
For a hired worker to be allowed to eat [from produce] while he is working with it
להיות השכיר אוכל בזמן שכירותו
The verse · Devarim 23:25
כִּי תָבֹא בְּכֶרֶם רֵעֶךָ וְאָכַלְתָּ עֲנָבִים כְּנַפְשְׁךָ שׇׂבְעֶךָ וְאֶל־כֶּלְיְךָ לֹא תִתֵּן
“When thou comest into thy neighbour’s vineyard, then thou mayst eat thy fill of grapes at thy desire; but thou shalt not put any in thy vessel.”
The Rambam’s words
For a hired worker to be allowed to eat [from produce] while he is working with it, as [Deuteronomy 23:25-26] states: "When you enter your neighbor's vineyard... When you enter your neighbor's standing grain...."
להיות השכיר אוכל בזמן שכירותו, שנאמר: "כי תבוא בכרם ריעך" (דברים כג,כה), "כי תבוא בקמת ריעך" (דברים כג,כו).
Why · Sefer HaChinuch #576
Allow the wageworker to eat from the attached produce upon which he is working
“It is from the roots of the commandment [that it is] to teach the Children of Israel to have a nice soul and goodwill; and through this the blessing of G-d will descend upon them.”
Who & when
“And [it] is practiced in every place and at all time by males and females.”
Where in the Mishneh Torah
Hilchot Hiring הלכות שכירות