certification fees

H-2A Labor Certification Fees Temporarily Suspended

Daniel CooperLabor, Regulation

The Employment and Training Administration (ETA) of the Department of Labor (DOL) has temporarily suspended the collection of H-2A labor certification fees. Implementing a temporary suspension period will allow ETA’s Office of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC) to move toward accepting electronic fees, as directed by an executive order by President Trump. That order, Executive Order 14247, is titled Modernizing Payments …

Farmworker Rule

Farmworker Rule Enforcement Suspended

Daniel CooperLabor, Regulation

The U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Wage and Hour Division recently announced it is suspending enforcement of the 2024 farmworker rule. The rule’s full name is Improving Protections for Workers in Temporary Agricultural Employment in the United States. The 2024 farmworker rule amended several regulatory provisions governing the H-2A temporary agricultural labor certification program under the Immigration and Nationality Act. Among other …

final

Final H-2A Farmworker Protection Rule Announced

Daniel CooperLabor

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced a final rule to strengthen protections for farmworkers. The rule targets vulnerability and abuses experienced by workers under the H-2A program. The H-2A program allows employers to hire temporary foreign agricultural workers.  Among other things, the final rule: The final rule is effective on June 28, 2024. However, H-2A applications filed before Aug. 28, 2024, …

wage

Increased Labor Law Enforcement in Southeast

Josh McGillAgriculture, Labor, Regulation

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division is continuing its multi-year education and enforcement initiative to increase compliance with federal labor laws in the Southeast’s agriculture industry. In addition to enforcement activity, the initiative provides compliance assistance to employers and educates workers and other stakeholders. The division and industry stakeholders in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, …

labor

Florida Citrus Labor Contractors Penalized

Josh McGillLabor

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) reported that three Arcadia citrus labor contractors failed to comply with the federal H-2A agricultural worker visa program, shortchanging employees $72,609 in total wages. The DOL’s Wage and Hour Division found that Benjamin M. Ramirez Harvesting Inc., AO Harvesting LLC and Gustavo Cisneros Harvesting Inc. failed to provide H-2A employees with at least three-quarters …