DOL

The Department is in the process of implementing electronic filing in the H-2B programs through the iCERT Visa Portal System. This page will contain information related to the implementation of electronic filing in the H-2B programs, including technical details about accessing four training webinar sessions.

Please check the attachment to read the H-2 B Fact Sheet.

• DOL fact sheet on a new web-based tool that will re-engineer the processing of H-2A applications filed by U.S. farmers, ranchers, and associations of agricultural producers through the iCERT Visa Portal System beginning on December 10, 2012.

• Please check the attached file to read the fact sheet

The Department is announcing the implementation of electronic filing in the H-2A and H-2B visa programs through the Department's iCERT Visa Portal System. We believe this new electronic filing capability will enhance the accessibility and quality of labor certification services, reduce the data collection and reporting burden on small employers, facilitate more streamlined business processes, and establish greater transparency in the Department's decisions.

The Honors Program in the Office of the Solicitor (SOL) at the U.S. Department of Labor provides challenging professional opportunities for outstanding law school graduates. Honors Program attorneys work with the ten divisions of the Solicitor’s Office, gaining exposure to a broad range of substantive legal work in one of the government’s preeminent legal offices. Upon completion of the two-year program, Honors Program attorneys continue their careers in public service in one of the Solicitor’s national or regional offices.

The Office of Foreign Labor Certification has posted updated program factsheets containing the FY 2012 selected statistics for the:

US Department of Labor reaches agreement resulting in more than $2.3 million in back wages to temporary foreign agricultural workers

Agreement provides record back wage amount for H-2A program, plus $500,000 penalty

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Yerington, Nev.-based onion grower Peri & Sons has agreed to pay a record total of $2,338,700 in back wages to 1,365 workers, along with a civil money penalty of $500,000, for violations under the H-2A program.

ISSUANCE AND RECEIPT OF A PWD

1. How can I request that the National Prevailing Wage Center issue me an hourly wage instead of an annual wage?

   The employer may request an hourly wage by entering "Request Hourly Wage" in the Job Duties block (D.a.6) of the ETA Form 9141.
   Please note: Due to the nature of some occupations where the norm for the occupation is not the standard 2080 hour work year, the Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) survey does not provide an hourly wage. In such instances, the NPWC will not be able to issue the requested hourly wage, as will be indicated in a note on the prevailing wage determination.

Revised June 21, 2012

AFFILIATED OR RELATED ENTITY

1. In order to issue a Prevailing Wage Determination (PWD), how does the NPWC decide between Research & Development (R&D) and non-R&D occupations under the American Competitiveness and Workforce Improvement Act (ACWIA)?

   R&D positions directly conduct or support a research effort. Non-R&D positions support administrative functions such as finance and technical facilities support. Employers should provide clear job duties that explain if the position supports R&D or non-R&D.

   When the position combines elements from both R&D and non-R&D occupations, the NPWC will select the occupation with the highest wage in the same manner as other combinations of occupations. The PWD will only show the occupation with the highest wage.

   There are nine standard occupations with wage data reported into the categories of R&D and non-R&D:

June 21, 2012

1. For Ski Instructors and Snowboard Instructors, does the adoption of the 2010 SOC change the occupation the NPWC will use to determine the wage?

   In the 2000 iteration of the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) codes used by the Bureau of Labor Statistics in the Occupational Employment Statistics wage surveys, the job opportunity of "Ski Instructors and Snowboard Instructors" was categorized under SOC classification 39-9031, Fitness Trainers and Aerobics Instructors. However, the SOC reclassification that was finalized in 2010 updated this occupation. The new SOC for this position is 25-3021, Self-Enrichment Education Teachers, which now encompasses most sports instructors.

June 21, 2012

1. For Oyster Shuckers, does the adoption of the 2010 SOC change the occupation the NPWC will use to determine the wage?

   In the 2000 iteration of the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) codes used by the Bureau of Labor Statistics in the Occupational Employment Statistics wage surveys, the job opportunity of "Oyster Shuckers" was categorized under SOC classification 51-9198 - Helpers - Production workers. However, the SOC reclassification that was finalized in 2010 clarifies the occupation to be used by listing Oyster Shucker as a sample title under the revised SOC of 51-3022, Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers. The O*Net crosswalk has not been updated to incorporate changes from the 2010 SOC and continues to provide the old code.

June 21, 2012

1. What documentation does the NPWC require in order to show an employer meets the definition of an affiliated or related nonprofit entity under the Department's regulations at 20 CFR §656.40(e)(1)(ii)?

   The NPWC researches entities that may be covered by the wage provisions of ACWIA. When a definitive decision cannot be reached, the NPWC will send a Request for Information (RFI) for documentation demonstrating how the employer meets the definition of an affiliated or related nonprofit entity.

   The first element is the non-profit status of the employer. A letter issued from the Internal Revenue Service stating the employer, under the FEIN on the application, has an appropriate non-profit status, will typically be sufficient for this purpose.

   The second element is affiliation with the institution of higher education, which may be demonstrated through any of the following:

   1) Shared ownership of the nonprofit entity and the institution of higher education either directly or by a parent entity. This includes branch, subsidiary and cooperative relationships.
   2) An oversight group (board, committee, et al) with the authority to direct the members of both the nonprofit entity and the institution of higher education.
   3) An agreement requiring a position to have decision making authority in both entities. For example, the position of Chief of Radiology at the Hospital will also be the Chair of the Radiology Department at the Medical School.
   4) Shared responsibility for conducting the qualifying activity. For example, the Medical School and the Hospital jointly establish the curricula for medical resident and fellowship programs. This includes situations involving several entities, such as a residency program where specific portions take place at separate hospitals and/or medical schools. In such a situation, all of the non-profit entities involved in the residency program would be considered affiliated or related nonprofit entities and covered by the ACWIA wage provisions.

   Examples where an institution does not meet ACWIA wage coverage include:

   1) Agreements where the institution of higher education is in essence 'renting space' from the requesting entity. Example statement: The Hospital will allow access to its facilities at the reimbursement rate negotiated each year and will remit appropriate charges for medical services provided to the Medical School.
   2) Conferring of unpaid faculty status upon a person in the employ of the requesting nonprofit entity by an institution of higher education.

   Additionally, the number of cross-designated employees in relation to the total number of employees in the particular program is a relevant factor in establishing affiliation. When a requesting employer has a notable number of employees cross-designated with an institution of higher education, especially when combined with a notable number of participants, then ACWIA wage coverage is indicated. For example, a large hospital employs 80 physicians and 200 nurses. 40 of those physicians and 100 of those nurses participate in the clinical training of 120 medical residents and 200 nursing students from a particular institution of higher education; the ratio is notable and ACWIA wage coverage is appropriate. Conversely, when the numbers of cross-designated employees are low, then coverage may not be indicated. For example, a mid-sized hospital has a single surgeon with part time faculty status at a particular medical school and a single fellow in training. The number of cross-designated employees and the number of participants are so small that ACWIA wage coverage is not appropriate.

June 21, 2012

PERM PREVAILING WAGES

Must I list alternative job requirements on the ETA Form 9141? Is there a section on the ETA Form 9141 where I can list the alternative requirements?

If an employer intends to accept alternative job requirements and to list such requirements on the ETA Form 9089, the employer must list its alternative job requirements on the ETA Form 9141. Specifically, the employer should list its alternative job requirements in either the Special Requirements block (D.b.5) or the Job Duties block (D.a.6) of the ETA Form 9141. This is to reflect a line of BALCA decisions affirming our ability to require the same information on the job opportunity on both forms.

It should be noted, as will be indicated in a note on the prevailing wage determination, that the NPWC will not consider the alternative job requirements when making the wage determination; prevailing wage determinations will be based ONLY on the job requirements listed by the employer in the Minimum Requirements block (D.b) of the ETA Form 9141. Nor does the NPWC make any evaluation of the substantial equivalence of the alternative job requirements to the primary minimum job requirements listed. That evaluation will continue to be made in the adjudication of the Application for Permanent Employment Certification.

Revised June 21, 2012

ISSUANCE AND RECEIPT OF A PWD

1. How can I request that the National Prevailing Wage Center issue me an hourly wage instead of an annual wage?

   The employer may request an hourly wage by entering "Request Hourly Wage" in the Job Duties block (D.a.6) of the ETA Form 9141.
   Please note: Due to the nature of some occupations where the norm for the occupation is not the standard 2080 hour work year, the Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) survey does not provide an hourly wage. In such instances, the NPWC will not be able to issue the requested hourly wage, as will be indicated in a note on the prevailing wage determination.

Revised June 21, 2012

AFFILIATED OR RELATED ENTITY

1. In order to issue a Prevailing Wage Determination (PWD), how does the NPWC decide between Research & Development (R&D) and non-R&D occupations under the American Competitiveness and Workforce Improvement Act (ACWIA)?

   R&D positions directly conduct or support a research effort. Non-R&D positions support administrative functions such as finance and technical facilities support. Employers should provide clear job duties that explain if the position supports R&D or non-R&D.

   When the position combines elements from both R&D and non-R&D occupations, the NPWC will select the occupation with the highest wage in the same manner as other combinations of occupations. The PWD will only show the occupation with the highest wage.

   There are nine standard occupations with wage data reported into the categories of R&D and non-R&D:

June 21, 2012

1. For Ski Instructors and Snowboard Instructors, does the adoption of the 2010 SOC change the occupation the NPWC will use to determine the wage?

   In the 2000 iteration of the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) codes used by the Bureau of Labor Statistics in the Occupational Employment Statistics wage surveys, the job opportunity of "Ski Instructors and Snowboard Instructors" was categorized under SOC classification 39-9031, Fitness Trainers and Aerobics Instructors. However, the SOC reclassification that was finalized in 2010 updated this occupation. The new SOC for this position is 25-3021, Self-Enrichment Education Teachers, which now encompasses most sports instructors.

June 21, 2012

1. For Oyster Shuckers, does the adoption of the 2010 SOC change the occupation the NPWC will use to determine the wage?

   In the 2000 iteration of the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) codes used by the Bureau of Labor Statistics in the Occupational Employment Statistics wage surveys, the job opportunity of "Oyster Shuckers" was categorized under SOC classification 51-9198 - Helpers - Production workers. However, the SOC reclassification that was finalized in 2010 clarifies the occupation to be used by listing Oyster Shucker as a sample title under the revised SOC of 51-3022, Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers. The O*Net crosswalk has not been updated to incorporate changes from the 2010 SOC and continues to provide the old code.

June 21, 2012

1. What documentation does the NPWC require in order to show an employer meets the definition of an affiliated or related nonprofit entity under the Department's regulations at 20 CFR §656.40(e)(1)(ii)?

   The NPWC researches entities that may be covered by the wage provisions of ACWIA. When a definitive decision cannot be reached, the NPWC will send a Request for Information (RFI) for documentation demonstrating how the employer meets the definition of an affiliated or related nonprofit entity.

   The first element is the non-profit status of the employer. A letter issued from the Internal Revenue Service stating the employer, under the FEIN on the application, has an appropriate non-profit status, will typically be sufficient for this purpose.

   The second element is affiliation with the institution of higher education, which may be demonstrated through any of the following:

   1) Shared ownership of the nonprofit entity and the institution of higher education either directly or by a parent entity. This includes branch, subsidiary and cooperative relationships.
   2) An oversight group (board, committee, et al) with the authority to direct the members of both the nonprofit entity and the institution of higher education.
   3) An agreement requiring a position to have decision making authority in both entities. For example, the position of Chief of Radiology at the Hospital will also be the Chair of the Radiology Department at the Medical School.
   4) Shared responsibility for conducting the qualifying activity. For example, the Medical School and the Hospital jointly establish the curricula for medical resident and fellowship programs. This includes situations involving several entities, such as a residency program where specific portions take place at separate hospitals and/or medical schools. In such a situation, all of the non-profit entities involved in the residency program would be considered affiliated or related nonprofit entities and covered by the ACWIA wage provisions.

   Examples where an institution does not meet ACWIA wage coverage include:

   1) Agreements where the institution of higher education is in essence 'renting space' from the requesting entity. Example statement: The Hospital will allow access to its facilities at the reimbursement rate negotiated each year and will remit appropriate charges for medical services provided to the Medical School.
   2) Conferring of unpaid faculty status upon a person in the employ of the requesting nonprofit entity by an institution of higher education.

   Additionally, the number of cross-designated employees in relation to the total number of employees in the particular program is a relevant factor in establishing affiliation. When a requesting employer has a notable number of employees cross-designated with an institution of higher education, especially when combined with a notable number of participants, then ACWIA wage coverage is indicated. For example, a large hospital employs 80 physicians and 200 nurses. 40 of those physicians and 100 of those nurses participate in the clinical training of 120 medical residents and 200 nursing students from a particular institution of higher education; the ratio is notable and ACWIA wage coverage is appropriate. Conversely, when the numbers of cross-designated employees are low, then coverage may not be indicated. For example, a mid-sized hospital has a single surgeon with part time faculty status at a particular medical school and a single fellow in training. The number of cross-designated employees and the number of participants are so small that ACWIA wage coverage is not appropriate.

June 21, 2012

PERM PREVAILING WAGES

Must I list alternative job requirements on the ETA Form 9141? Is there a section on the ETA Form 9141 where I can list the alternative requirements?

If an employer intends to accept alternative job requirements and to list such requirements on the ETA Form 9089, the employer must list its alternative job requirements on the ETA Form 9141. Specifically, the employer should list its alternative job requirements in either the Special Requirements block (D.b.5) or the Job Duties block (D.a.6) of the ETA Form 9141. This is to reflect a line of BALCA decisions affirming our ability to require the same information on the job opportunity on both forms.

It should be noted, as will be indicated in a note on the prevailing wage determination, that the NPWC will not consider the alternative job requirements when making the wage determination; prevailing wage determinations will be based ONLY on the job requirements listed by the employer in the Minimum Requirements block (D.b) of the ETA Form 9141. Nor does the NPWC make any evaluation of the substantial equivalence of the alternative job requirements to the primary minimum job requirements listed. That evaluation will continue to be made in the adjudication of the Application for Permanent Employment Certification.

Revised June 21, 2012

The Office of Foreign Labor Certification has posted five factsheets containing the FY 2012 selected statistics for the

• When an employer places a job order with a State Workforce Agency (SWA), is it required to indicate its name on the job order posting? If so, what should the employer do if the SWA's procedures do not allow for the employer's name to be visible to job seekers?

  In accordance with PERM regulations at 20 CFR §656.17(f)(1) and the preamble (69 FR 77326, 77348 (Dec. 27, 2004)), as with any advertisement, the employer's name must appear on the job order placed with the SWA. SWA procedures that allow for applicants to view the employer name only after applying for the position do not satisfy the requirement that the employer's name be in the job order. If the SWA's job placement process results in the name of the employer not being visible to job seekers, the employer must include its name in the body of the job order so that the employer's name is visible to potential applicants when viewing the job order.
  June 11, 2012

• Must an employer receive all resumes that are submitted to a State Workforce Agency (SWA) through a SWA-posted job order? If yes, what must the employer do to ensure the SWA refers to it all U.S. workers?

  In the preamble to the PERM regulations (69 FR 77326, 77331 (Dec. 27, 2004)), the Department of Labor indicated that SWA job order "[r]eferrals will be handled the same way they are handled for other job orders, which may vary from state to state." However, the PERM regulations at 20 CFR §656.10(c)(8) also state that the employer must attest that "[t]he job opportunity has been and is clearly open to any U.S. worker." Therefore, the employer must receive all resumes submitted to the SWA through a posted job order. To ensure that the SWA refers to it all U.S. workers, the employer must indicate to the SWA, pursuant to each SWA's specific process, that it wants to receive all resumes and all types of referrals (e.g., qualified, best qualified, minimally qualified, etc.). This instruction to the SWA ensures that the employer is accepting and reviewing the resumes of all U.S. workers and determining which of the applicants meets the minimum qualifications for the job opportunity, as well as gives all U.S. workers access to such jobs.
  June 11, 2012

• How long must job orders be posted to be compliant with PERM requirements? Are there further requirements as to whom the job order content must be accessible and/or visible for the required time period?

  Under the PERM regulations at 20 CFR §656.17(e)(1)(i)(A) and §656.17(e)(2)(i), the employer's job order for both professional and nonprofessional occupations must be placed with the SWA serving the area of intended employment for a period of 30 days. Moreover, during this 30-day period, the job order must be accessible and visible to the public at large, i.e., the entire pool of job seekers potentially qualified for the position. Therefore, where a SWA has a special exemption of making job orders accessible to only certain groups, such as veterans, the employer must still ensure that the job order is accessible and/or visible to the public for the full required period of 30 days. The employer can accomplish this by instructing the SWA to post the job for the required 30-day time period only after the days during which the SWA holds the job order open only to the select group.

  For example: If the job order start date is Monday, May 7, 2012, the end date must be Wednesday, June 6, 2012, to meet the 30-day job order posting requirement. However, if the SWA places a hold on the job order, so that it is only accessible and/or visible to a certain group, from Monday, May 7, 2012, until Wednesday, May 9, 2012, then the employer must ask the SWA to keep the job order open, and accessible and/or visible to the public at large, from Thursday, May 10, 2012 until Saturday, June 9, 2012, to comply with the 30-day requirement.
  June 11, 2012

In a continued effort to assist H-2A employers with preparing their agricultural job orders and applications, the Department has revised the H-2A Filing Tips to alert employers to common filing mistakes which can delay the processing of an H-2A application. The H-2A Filing Tips may be found on the H-2A program page under Factsheets and Filing Tips.