[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 246 (Thursday, December 22, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 79711-79712]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-32842]
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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Employment and Training Administration
Labor Certification Process for the Temporary Employment of
Aliens in Agriculture in the United States: 2012 Adverse Effect Wage
Rates
AGENCY: Employment and Training Administration, Department of Labor.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Employment and Training Administration (ETA) of the
Department of Labor (Department) is issuing this notice to announce the
2012 Adverse Effect Wage Rates (AEWRs) for the employment of temporary
or seasonal nonimmigrant foreign workers to perform agricultural labor
or services (H-2A workers).
AEWRs are the minimum wage rates the Department has determined must
be offered and paid by employers to H-2A workers and workers in
corresponding employment for a particular occupation and area so that
the wages of similarly employed U.S. workers will not be adversely
affected. 20 CFR 655.100(b). In this notice, the Department announces
the AEWRs for 2012.
DATES: Effective Date: This notice is effective December 22, 2011.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: William L. Carlson, Ph.D.,
Administrator, Office of Foreign Labor Certification, U.S. Department
of Labor, Room C-4312, 200 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC
20210. Telephone: (202) 693-3010 (this is not a toll-free number).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration
Services of the Department of Homeland Security will not approve an
employer's petition for the admission of H-2A nonimmigrant temporary
agricultural workers in the U.S. unless the petitioner has received
from the Department an H-2A labor certification. The labor
certification provides that: (1) There are not sufficient U.S. workers
who are able, willing, and qualified and who will be available at the
time and place needed to perform the labor or services involved in the
petition; and (2) the employment of the foreign worker(s) in such labor
or services will not adversely affect the wages and working conditions
of workers in the U.S. similarly employed. 8 U.S.C.
1101(a)(15)(H)(ii)(a), 1101(a)(15)(H)(ii)(b), 1184(c)(1), and 1188(a);
8 CFR 214.2(h)(5) and (6).
Adverse Effect Wage Rates for 2012
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 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:
TABLE--2012 ADVERSE EFFECT WAGE RATES
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State 2012 AEWRs
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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
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Pursuant to the H-2A regulations at 20 CFR 655.173, the Department
will publish a separate Federal Register notice in early 2012 to
announce (1) the allowable charges for 2012 that employers seeking H-2A
workers may charge their workers for providing them three meals a day;
and (2) the maximum
[[Page 79712]]
travel subsistence reimbursement which a worker with receipts may claim
in 2012.
Signed in Washington, DC this 6th day of December, 2011.
Jane Oates,
Assistant Secretary, Employment and Training Administration.
[FR Doc. 2011-32842 Filed 12-21-11; 8:45 am]
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