The Department’s H-2A regulations at 20 CFR 655.120(l) provide that employers must pay their H-2A workers and workers in corresponding employment at least the highest of: (i) the Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR); (ii) the prevailing wage; (iii) the prevailing piece rate; (iv) the agreed-upon collective bargaining wage, if applicable; or (v) the Federal or State minimum wage, in effect at the time the work is performed.
Except as otherwise provided in 20 CFR part 655, subpart B, the region-wide AEWR for all agricultural employment (except those occupations deemed inappropriate under the special procedure provisions of 20 CFR 655.102) for which temporary H-2A certification is being sought is equal to the annual weighted average hourly wage rate for field and livestock workers (combined) for the region as published annually by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). 20 CFR 655.120(c) requires the Administrator of the Office of Foreign Labor Certification publish the USDA field and livestock worker (combined) wage data as AEWRs in a Federal Register notice.
Accordingly, the 2012 AEWRs to be paid for agricultural work performed by U.S. and H-2A workers on or after the effective date of this notice are set forth in the table below:
| STATE | 2011 AEWR |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $ 9.39 |
| Arizona | $ 9.94 |
| Arkansas | $ 9.30 |
| California | $ 10.24 |
| Colorado | $ 10.43 |
| Connecticut | $ 10.56 |
| Delaware | $ 10.34 |
| Florida | $ 9.54 |
| Georgia | $ 9.39 |
| Hawaii | $ 12.26 |
| Idaho | $ 10.19 |
| Illinois | $ 11.10 |
| Indiana | $ 11.10 |
| Iowa | $ 11.50 |
| Kansas | $ 11.61 |
| Kentucky | $ 9.38 |
| Louisiana | $ 9.30 |
| Maine | $ 10.56 |
| Maryland | $10.34 |
| Massachusetts | $ 10.56 |
| Michigan | $ 10.78 |
| Minnesota | $ 10.78 |
| Mississippi | $9.30 |
| Missouri | $ 11.50 |
| Montana | $ 10.19 |
| Nebraska | $ 11.61 |
| Nevada | $ 10.43 |
| New Hampshire | $ 10.56 |
| New Jersey | $ 10.34 |
| New Mexico | $ 9.94 |
| New York | $ 10.56 |
| North Carolina | $ 9.70 |
| North Dakota | $ 11.61 |
| Ohio | $ 11.10 |
| Oklahoma | $ 9.88 |
| Oregon | $ 10.92 |
| Pennsylvania | $ 10.34 |
| Rhode Island | $ 10.56 |
| South Carolina | $ 9.39 |
| South Dakota | $ 11.61 |
| Tennessee | $ 9.38 |
| Texas | $ 9.88 |
| Utah | $ 10.43 |
| Vermont | $ 10.56 |
| Virginia | $ 9.70 |
| Washington | $ 10.92 |
| West Virginia | $ 9.38 |
| Wisconsin | $ 10.78 |
| Wyoming | $ 10.19 |
U.S. Map of 2012 AEWRs
To obtain a copy of the 2012 state AEWRs as a map, please click here
2012 Adverse Effect Wage Rates
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