Ag News
DOL proposes rule to allow online job notices for H-2A
Posted on Nov 28, 2018 at 0:00 AM
On Nov. 9, the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Employment and Training Administration published a proposed rule that could help farmers meet advertising requirements under the H-2A visa program.
The DOL rulemaking would require that employers seeking to hire temporary workers post the employment opportunities online, rather than in expensive newspapers advertisements reaching a limited audience. This is an early step in H-2A regulatory reforms promised in May in a joint announcement from the USDA, the Department of Labor, Department of State and Department of Homeland Security.
“When I travel around the country, one of the biggest concerns farmers raise is the shortage of legal farm labor. Our farmers and ranchers are the most productive in the world, and they want to obey immigration law,” Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said in response to the proposed rule. “Where American workers are not available, farmers turn to the H-2A program that is overly bureaucratic and cost prohibitive. Using regulations like this is one way to modernize H-2A to reach more American workers, while providing relief to farmers from one of the high costs of the program.
The DOL is accepting public comment on the proposed rule. The deadline to make a comment is Dec. 10. To read the proposed rule or make a comment, visit https://gfb.ag/DOLH2Acomments.
- Categories:
- Tags: