Procedures for H-2B Temporary Labor Certification in Non-Agricultural Occupations, 38621-38625 [E7-13656]
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Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 134 / Friday, July 13, 2007 / Notices
to submit projected inflation rates for
NPS or salaries and benefits (rather, a
formula will inflate the prior year’s data
by 3 percent per year, and states will
have the option to override the formula),
and (3) requiring states to submit only
two years of projected expenditures
rather than three years.
II. Desired Focus of Comments:
Currently, the Department of Labor is
soliciting comments concerning the
proposed extension of the RJM data
collection. Comments are requested to:
• Evaluate whether the proposed
collection of information is necessary
for the proper performance of the
functions of the agency, including
whether the information will have
practical utility;
• Evaluate the accuracy of the
agency’s estimate of the burden of the
proposed collection of information,
including the validity of the
methodology and assumptions used;
• Enhance the quality, utility, and
clarity of the information to be
collected; and
• Minimize the burden of the
information collection on those who are
to respond, including the use of
appropriate automated, electronic,
mechanical, or other technological
collection techniques or other forms of
information technology, e.g., permitting
electronic submissions of responses.
A copy of the proposed information
collection request (ICR) can be obtained
by contacting the office listed above in
the addressee section of this notice.
Total
respondents
Form/activity
53
53
53
53
Totals .........................................
........................
Total Burden Cost (capital/startup):
There are no capital or start-up costs for
RJM.
Total Burden Cost (operating/
maintaining): $0.
Comments submitted in response to
this comment request will be
summarized and/or included in the
request for Office of Management and
Budget approval of the information
collection request; they will also
become a matter of public record.
Dated: July 9, 2007.
Cheryl Atkinson,
Administrator, Office of Workforce Security.
[FR Doc. E7–13554 Filed 7–12–07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510–FW–P
Employment and Training
Administration
Procedures for H–2B Temporary Labor
Certification in Non-Agricultural
Occupations
Employment & Training
Administration, Labor.
ACTION: Notice.
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AGENCY:
SUMMARY: This notice, also published as
Training and Employment Guidance
Letter (TEGL) 21–06, Change 1 (https://
wdr.doleta.gov/directives/
corr_doc.cfm?docn=2456), modifies
19:31 Jul 12, 2007
Annually
Annually
Annually
Annually
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Burden
(hours)
53
53
53
53
108
4
3
8
5,724
212
159
424
...........................................................
212
........................
6,519
certain procedures under TEGL 21–06
for State Workforce Agencies and ETA
National Processing Centers to process
H–2B labor certification applications.
H–2B visas are for temporary
employment in non-agricultural
occupations.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. References
Immigration and Nationality Act
(INA) sec. 101(a)(15)(H)(ii)(b), 20 Code
of Federal Regulations (CFR) Parts 652
and 655; 8 CFR 214.2(h)(6); and
Training and Employment Guidance
Letter (TEGL) 21–06: Procedures for H–
2B Temporary Labor Certification in
Non-Agricultural Occupations.
The H–2B non-immigrant visa
program permits employers to hire
foreign workers to come temporarily to
the United States and perform
temporary non-agricultural services or
labor on a one-time, seasonal, peakload,
or intermittent basis. The H–2B visa
classification requires the Secretary of
Homeland Security to consult with
appropriate agencies before admitting
H–2B non-immigrants. Homeland
Security regulations require the
intending employer first to apply for a
temporary labor certification from the
Secretary of Labor advising the
Department of Homeland Security’s
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Average time
per response
(hours)
............................................
............................................
............................................
............................................
II. Background
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
VerDate Aug<31>2005
Total
responses
Frequency
Crosswalk ..........................................
ACCT SUM .......................................
RJM 1–6 ............................................
Narrative ............................................
III. Current Actions:
Type of Review: Minor Revisions and
Extension for Approved Information
Collection.
Agency: Employment and Training
Administration.
Title: Resource Justification Model.
OMB Number: 1205–0430.
Affected Public: State Government.
Cite/Reference/Form/etc: Social
Security Act, Section 303(a)(b).
Total Respondents: 53 State
Workforce Agencies.
Frequency: Annually.
Total Responses: 212.
Average Time per Response: 30.75
hours.
Estimated Total Burden Hours: 6,519.
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United States Citizenship and
Immigration Services (USCIS) as to
whether qualified U.S. workers are
available and whether the alien’s
employment will adversely affect the
wages and working conditions of
similarly employed U.S. workers, or a
notice that such certification cannot be
made, prior to filing an H–2B visa
petition with USCIS.
On April 4, 2007, the Department
issued TEGL 21–06, which updated
procedures for State Workforce
Agencies (SWAs) and ETA National
Processing Centers (NPCs) to use in the
processing of temporary labor
certification applications under the H–
2B program. The Department then held
two public briefing sessions in Chicago
and Atlanta on May 1 and May 4, 2007,
respectively, to inform employers and
other stakeholders of the updated
processing guidance contained in TEGL
21–06. Employers and other
stakeholders who attended those public
briefing sessions raised important
questions and concerns with regard to
the effective implementation of TEGL
21–06 by the SWAs and NPCs. The
purpose of this document is to outline
certain modifications to TEGL 21–06 as
a formal response to issues raised
during the public briefing sessions and
improve the processing of H–2B
applications by the SWAs and NPCs.
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III. Modifications to Procedures for H–
2B Applications
Attachment A contains certain
modifications to procedures, originally
issued under TEGL 21–06, the SWAs
and NPCs must use in making
temporary labor certification
determinations under the H–2B
program. More specifically, sections IV
and V of Attachment A contain
modifications that remind employers
and other stakeholders of the right to
request review of a SWA prevailing
wage determination by the NPC; provide
notification that the NPCs will no longer
accept incomplete applications for
processing from the SWAs; establish a
process for the NPC Certifying Officers
to issue a Request for Information (RFI)
in certain circumstances; outline the
conditions under which the NPC
Certifying Officers may grant a partial
temporary labor certification to the
employer; and advise the employer of
the right to file a new application in
circumstances where the NPC Certifying
Officer issues a notice that a
certification is denied. The
modifications contained in Attachment
A replace and supersede the prior
corresponding operating procedures
issued under TEGL 21–06.
IV. Effective Date
This guidance applies to all pending
and new temporary labor certification
applications received by the SWAs on
or after June 1, 2007.
V. Action Required
NPC Directors and SWA
Administrators are requested to provide
Center and SWA staff involved in the
processing of H–2B applications with a
copy of these procedures.
VI. Inquiries
Questions from State Workforce
Agency staff should be directed to the
appropriate NPC Certifying Officer.
Signed at Washington, DC, this 9th day of
July, 2007.
Emily Stover DeRocco,
Assistant Secretary, Employment & Training
Administration, Labor.
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Attachment A: Procedures for H–2B
Certification of Temporary NonAgricultural Occupations (Revised June
2007)
I. General Provisions
A. The regulations of the United
States Citizenship and Immigration
Service (USCIS), 8 CFR 214.2(h)(6),
apply to employers who wish to import
non-agricultural workers to perform
services or labor in temporary jobs
within the United States (U.S.). Section
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214(c)(1) of the Immigration and
Nationality Act (INA) requires the
Department of Homeland Security
(DHS) to consult with appropriate
agencies of the government before
granting H–2B petitions.
B. USCIS regulations state that
employers who file H–2B petitions
(except for temporary employment on
Guam) must include a certification from
the DOL stating that qualified workers
are not available in the U.S., and the
foreign worker’s employment will not
adversely affect the wages and working
conditions of similarly employed U.S.
workers.
C. The H–2B non-immigrant program
permits employers to hire foreign
workers to perform temporary nonagricultural work within the U.S. on a
one-time occurrence, seasonal,
peakload, or intermittent basis (8 CFR
214.2(h)(6)(ii)(B)).
D. The DOL regulations at 20 CFR part
655, subpart A—Labor Certification
Process for Temporary Employment in
Occupations Other Than Agriculture,
Logging or Registered Nurses in the
United States (H–2B Workers), governs
the labor certification process for
temporary employment in the U.S.
under the H–2B classification, and
requires that the Regional Administrator
(now National Processing Center (NPC))
Certifying Officer of the Employment
and Training Administration (ETA)
issue temporary labor certifications on
behalf of the Secretary of Labor.
E. An H–2B temporary labor
certification is advisory to USCIS and,
where the employer is notified by the
NPC Certifying Officer that certification
is denied or cannot be made, the
employer may submit countervailing
evidence, according to 8 CFR part
214.2(h)(6)(iv)(E), directly to USCIS.
There is no provision for
reconsideration or appeal of the
determination made by the DOL through
the NPC Certifying Officer.
II. Standards for Determining the
Temporary Nature of a Job Opportunity
Under the H–2B Classification
A. A job opportunity is considered
temporary under the H–2B classification
if the employer’s need for the duties to
be performed is temporary, whether or
not the underlying job is permanent or
temporary. It is the nature of the
employer’s need, not the nature of the
duties, that is controlling (Matter of
Artee Corp., 18 I&N Dec. 366 (Comm.
1982)).
B. Part-time employment does not
qualify as employment for temporary
labor certification under the H–2B
program. Only full-time employment
can be certified.
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C. The Federal regulations at 8 CFR
214.2(h)(6)(ii) state that the period of the
petitioner’s need must be a year or less,
although there may be extraordinary
circumstances where the temporary
services or labor might last longer than
one year. If there are unforeseen
circumstances where the employer’s
need exceeds one year, a new
application for temporary labor
certification is required for each period
beyond one year. However, an
employer’s seasonal or peakload need of
longer than 10 months, which is of a
recurring nature, will not be accepted.
D. The employer’s need for temporary
non-agricultural services or labor must
be justified to the NPC Certifying Officer
under one of the following standards:
(1) A one-time occurrence, (2) a seasonal
need, (3) a peakload need, or (4) an
intermittent need.
1. One-Time Occurrence. The
petitioner must establish that either (1)
it has not employed workers to perform
the services or labor in the past and that
it will not need workers to perform the
services or labor in the future, or (2) it
has an employment situation that is
otherwise permanent, but a temporary
event of short duration has created the
need for a temporary worker(s);
2. Seasonal Need. The petitioner must
establish that the services or labor is
traditionally tied to a season of the year
by an event or pattern and is of a
recurring nature. The petitioner shall
specify the period(s) of time during each
year in which it does not need the
services or labor. The employment is
not seasonal if the period during which
the services or labor is not needed is
unpredictable or subject to change or is
considered a vacation period for the
petitioner’s permanent employees;
3. Peakload Need. The petitioner
must establish that (1) it regularly
employs permanent workers to perform
the services or labor at the place of
employment and that it needs to
supplement its permanent staff at the
place of employment on a temporary
basis due to a seasonal or short-term
demand, and (2) the temporary
additions to staff will not become a part
of the petitioner’s regular operation; or
4. Intermittent Need. The petitioner
must establish that it has not employed
permanent or full-time workers to
perform the services or labor, but
occasionally or intermittently needs
temporary workers to perform services
or labor for short periods.
III. Application Filing Procedures
A. An employer desiring to use
foreign workers for temporary nonagricultural employment must file a
complete ETA Form 750, Part A, Offer
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of Employment portion of the
Application for Alien Employment
Certification with the State Workforce
Agency (SWA) serving the area of
intended employment. If the application
includes worksite locations within a
Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)
covering multiple SWAs, the employer
may submit a single application to the
SWA where the employment will begin.
In those instances where the
employment crosses NPC jurisdictions
as well, the NPC that has jurisdiction
over the SWA where the employment
will begin shall process the application.
The U.S. Census Bureau maintains a
current listing of all MSAs as well as
maps by state at the following Web site:
https://www.census.gov/population/
www/estimates/metroarea.html.
B. An association or other
organization of employers is not
permitted to file master applications on
behalf of its membership under the H–
2B program;
C. Job contractors typically supply
labor to one or more employers as part
of signed work contracts or labor
services agreements. The temporary or
permanent nature of the work to be
performed in such applications will be
determined by examining the job
contractor’s need for such workers,
rather than the needs of its employer
customers;
D. Every H–2B application shall
include:
1. Two (2) originals of the ETA Form
750, Part A, Offer of Employment
portion of the Application for Alien
Employment Certification, signed and
dated by the employer. Part B,
Statement of Qualifications of the Alien,
is not required to be completed;
2. Documentation of any efforts to
advertise and recruit U.S. workers prior
to filing the application with the SWA;
3. A detailed statement explaining (a)
why the job opportunity and number of
workers being requested reflect a
temporary need, and (b) how the
employer’s request for the services or
labor meets one of the standards of a
one-time occurrence, a seasonal need, a
peakload need, or an intermittent need.
This statement of temporary need must
be submitted separately on the
employer’s letterhead with signature. A
labor shortage, however severe, does not
alone establish a temporary need. One
of the four temporary need standards
must be satisfied;
4. Supporting evidence and
documentation that justifies the chosen
standard of temporary need must be
submitted. Examples of supportive
evidence or documentation for the most
common standards of seasonal and
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peakload need include, but are not
limited to, the following:
a. Signed work contracts, letters of
intent from clients, and/or monthly
invoices from previous calendar year(s)
clearly showing work will be performed
for each month during the requested
period of need on the ETA Form 750,
Part A, Item 18b. This type of
documentation will demonstrate the
employer’s need for the work to be
performed is tied to a season(s) of the
year and will recur next year on the
same cycle;
b. Annualized and/or multi-year work
contracts or work agreements
supplemented with documentation
specifying the actual dates when work
will commence and end during each
year of service and clearly showing
work will be performed for each month
during the requested period of need on
the ETA Form 750, Part A, Item—18b.;
c. Summarized monthly payroll
reports for a minimum of one previous
calendar year that identifies, for each
month and separately for full-time
permanent and temporary employment
in the requested occupation, the total
number of workers or staff employed,
total hours worked, and total earnings
received. Such documentation must be
signed by the employer attesting that the
information being presented was
compiled from the employer’s actual
accounting records or system.
Employers should be prepared to
provide the documents utilized to
generate the summarized monthly
payroll reports if requested by the NPC
Certifying Officer.
Examples of insufficient
documentation: Work contracts with no
clear start and/or termination date and
contracts with temporary workers.
Applications supported solely by
weather charts, event calendars, hotel
occupancy rates, or annual/quarterly tax
reports (e.g., IRS Form 941) will not be
sufficient to prove a temporary need.
Staffing charts, graphs, or other
documentation, which do not
correspond with the requested period of
need on the ETA Form 750, Part A,
Item—18b, will also not be sufficient to
prove a temporary need.
E. To allow for enough time for the
recruitment of U.S. workers and
sufficient time for processing by the
states and NPCs, the SWAs shall advise
employers to file requests for temporary
labor certification at least 60 days before
the worker(s) is needed in order to
receive a timely determination;
F. Unless the NPC Certifying Officer
specifies otherwise, the SWA shall
return to the employer any request for
temporary labor certification filed by the
employer more than 120 days before the
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worker(s) is needed and advise them to
re-file the application no more than 120
days before the worker(s) is needed.
This is necessary since the availability
of temporary U.S. workers changes over
short periods of time and an adequate
test of the labor market cannot be made
during a longer period;
G. More than one worker may be
requested on the ETA Form 750, Part A,
Item 18a, if they are to do the same type
of work on the same terms and
conditions, in the same occupation, in
the same area(s) of intended
employment during the same period.
The total number of workers requested
by the employer must also be specified
in the advertisement and the job order
required under Section IV of these
instructions;
H. If the employer’s representative
files the application, the employer must
sign the ‘‘Authorization of Agent of
Employer’’ statement on the ETA Form
750, which authorizes the agent to act
on the employer’s behalf. An attorney
must file a Notice of Appearance (Form
G–28) naming the attorney’s client(s).
The employer is fully responsible for
the accuracy of all representations made
by the agent on the employer’s behalf;
and
I. When the job opportunity requires
work to be done at multiple locations
either within the jurisdiction of the
SWA or within a MSA that covers
multiple SWAs, the application must
include the names and physical
addresses of each location. This
requirement also applies to job
contractors filing H–2B applications.
IV. SWA Processing Instructions
A. The SWA shall review the job offer
for completeness. A job opportunity
containing a wage offer below the
prevailing wage will not be accepted.
The SWA shall determine the prevailing
wage, guided by the regulation at 20
CFR 656.40 and in accordance with
Employment and Training
Administration, Prevailing Wage
Determination Policy Guidance, Nonagricultural Immigration Programs,
Revised May 9, 2005 (https://
www.foreignlaborcert.doleta.gov/pdf/
Policy_Nonag_Progs.pdf). In accordance
with Section IV of the Prevailing Wage
Determination Policy Guidance, an
employer that disagrees with the
prevailing wage determination is
afforded one opportunity to provide
supplemental information to the SWA
or to request review by the NPC
Certifying Officer.
B. If the application is incomplete or
the job offer is less than full-time, offers
to pay a wage below the prevailing
wage, contains unduly restrictive job
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requirements or a combination of duties
not normal to the occupation, or has
terms and conditions of employment
which otherwise inhibit the effective
recruitment and consideration of U.S.
workers for the job, or is otherwise
unacceptable because it does not
comply with DOL policies, the SWA
shall advise the employer to correct the
deficiencies before commencing the
recruitment.
The SWA shall communicate
deficiencies in the application by fax,
electronic mail, or any other means to
assure expedited overnight delivery. In
addition, the SWA shall advise the
employer or the employer’s authorized
representative that failure to respond to
the SWA notification, or failure to
correct all of the deficiencies set forth in
the notification for the application will
result in the case being closed and
processing discontinued.
C. When commencing recruitment,
the SWA shall prepare a job order, using
the information on the application, and
place it into the SWA job bank system
for 10 calendar days. During this period,
the SWA should refer qualified
applicants who contact the local offices
and those in its active job files. If the
application indicates that work will be
performed in multiple locations within
a MSA and one or more locations are
outside the jurisdiction of the SWA, the
SWA shall clear the job order for 10
calendar days with the appropriate
state(s) where the work is to be
performed and accept for referral to the
employer qualified applicants from the
state(s).
D. During the 10-day posting of the
job order, the employer shall advertise
the job opportunity in a newspaper of
general circulation for 3 consecutive
calendar days or in a readily available
professional, trade or ethnic
publication, whichever the SWA
determines is most appropriate for the
occupation and most likely to bring
responses from U.S. workers. If the job
opportunity is located in a rural area
that does not have a newspaper with a
daily edition, the employer shall use a
daily edition with the widest circulation
in the nearest urban area or such other
publication as determined by the SWA.
E. The employer advertisement must:
1. Identify the employer’s name,
location(s) of work, and direct
applicants to report or send resumes to
the SWA for referral to the employer by
disclosing the SWA contact information
and job order number;
2. Describe the job opportunity with
particularity, including duties to be
performed, work hours and days, rate of
pay, and the duration of the
employment;
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3. State the employer’s minimum job
requirements;
4. Offer wages, terms, and conditions
of employment which are not less
favorable than those offered to the alien
and are consistent with the nature of the
occupation, activity, and industry; and
5. State the job is ‘‘temporary’’ and
include the total number of job openings
the employer intends to fill.
F. The employer shall document that
union and other recruitment sources,
appropriate for the occupation and
customary in the industry, were
contacted and either unable to refer
qualified U.S. workers or nonresponsive to the employer’s request.
Such documentation must be signed by
the employer.
G. The employer shall provide the
SWA with copies of newspaper pages
(e.g., tear sheets) or other proof of
publication (e.g., affidavit of
publication, invoices or other electronic
verification) furnished by the
newspaper for each day the
advertisement was published. In
addition, the employer shall submit to
the SWA a written, detailed recruitment
report that is signed by the employer.
The written recruitment report must:
1. Identify each recruitment source by
name;
2. State the name, address, and
telephone number and provide resumes
(if submitted to the employer) of each
U.S. worker who applied for the job;
and
3. Explain the lawful job-related
reason(s) for not hiring each U.S.
worker.
H. After the recruitment period, the
SWA shall send the application, results
of recruitment, prevailing wage
findings, and all other supporting
documentation to the appropriate NPC
Certifying Officer. The NPC Certifying
Officers will not accept incomplete
applications for processing from the
SWA even with assurances from the
employer or the employer’s
representative that documentation will
be forthcoming. The NPC Certifying
Officers will remand incomplete
applications back to the SWA.
I. Based on the results of the
employer’s and SWA recruitment
efforts, the NPC Certifying Officer shall
determine whether there are other
appropriate sources of workers from
which the employer should have
recruited in order to obtain qualified
U.S. workers. If further recruitment is
warranted, the NPC Certifying Officer
shall return the application to the SWA
with specific instructions for additional
recruitment.
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V. NPC Temporary Labor Certification
Determinations
A. The NPC Certifying Officer shall
determine whether to grant or deny the
temporary labor certification or to issue
a notice that such certification cannot be
made based on whether or not:
1. The nature of the employer’s need
is temporary and justified based on a
one-time occurrence, seasonal,
peakload, or intermittent basis. To
determine this, the NPC Certifying
Officer shall take into account the
duration of the employment opportunity
identified on the ETA Form 750, Part A,
the employer’s statement of temporary
need, and all evidence and
documentation submitted with the
application intended to substantiate the
chosen standard of temporary need.
2. Qualified U.S. workers are available
for the temporary job opportunity.
a. To determine if a U.S. worker is
available, the NPC Certifying Officer
shall consider U.S. workers living or
working in the area of intended
employment, and may also consider
U.S. workers who are willing to move
from elsewhere to take the job at their
own expense, or at the employer’s
expense, if the prevailing practice
among employers who employ workers
in the occupation is to pay such
relocation expenses;
b. The NPC Certifying Officer shall
consider a U.S. worker able and
qualified for the job opportunity if the
worker by education, training,
experience, or a combination thereof,
can perform the duties involved in the
occupation as customarily performed by
other U.S. workers similarly employed
and is willing to accept the specific job
opportunity; and
c. To determine if U.S. workers are
available for job opportunities that will
be performed in more than one location,
workers must be available in each
location on the dates specified by the
employer.
3. The employment of the alien will
not adversely affect the wages and
working conditions of similarly
employed U.S. workers. To determine
this, the NPC Certifying Officer shall
consider such factors as local or regional
labor market information, special
circumstances of the industry,
organization, and/or occupation, the
prevailing wage rate for the occupation
in the area of intended employment,
and prevailing working conditions, such
as hours of work; and
4. The job opportunity contains
requirements or conditions which
preclude consideration of U.S. workers
or which otherwise prevent their
effective recruitment, such as:
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a. The job opportunity is vacant
because the former occupant is on strike
or locked out in the course of a labor
dispute involving a work stoppage or
the job is at issue in a labor dispute
involving a work stoppage;
b. The job opportunity’s terms,
conditions, and/or occupational
environment are contrary to Federal,
state, or local law;
c. The employer has no location
within the U.S. to which domestic
workers can be referred and hired for
employment;
d. The employer will not pay a wage
or salary for the job to be performed;
e. The job’s requirements are unduly
restrictive or represent a combination of
duties not normal to the occupation; or
f. The employer has not recruited U.S.
workers according to DOL policies and
procedures.
B. In situations where the application
appears to be ineligible for temporary
labor certification because the employer
has not met its burden of providing
adequate documentation/evidence or
where a specific DOL policy was not
complied with by the employer, the
NPC Certifying Officer has the authority
to issue one Request for Information
(RFI), in writing, to the employer or the
employer’s authorized representative.
When issued by the NPC Certifying
Officer, the RFI shall:
1. Specify the reason(s) why the
documentation/evidence submitted is
not sufficient to grant temporary labor
certification;
2. Indicate the specific DOL
policy(ies) with which the employer
does not appear to have complied; and
3. Advise the employer that a written
response must be sent within no later
than seven (7) calendar days of
receiving the RFI and must be
transmitted by a method that ensures
receipt by the Certifying Officer the next
business day, which may include fax,
electronic mail, or overnight delivery.
Upon receipt of a response to the RFI
or expiration of the stated deadline for
receipt of the response, the NPC
Certifying Officer will review the
existing application as well as any
supplemental materials submitted by
the employer or the employer’s
representative and issue a final
determination.
C. If the NPC Certifying Officer issues
a notice that a certification is denied or
cannot be made, the Final
Determination letter shall:
1. Detail the reasons why certification
cannot be made. The Certifying Officer
is not required to accept determination
by the SWA concerning the
acceptability of the application;
VerDate Aug<31>2005
19:05 Jul 12, 2007
Jkt 211001
2. If applicable, address the
availability of U.S. workers in the
occupation as well as the prevailing
wages and working conditions of
similarly employed U.S. workers in the
occupation;
3. Indicate the specific DOL
policy(ies) with which the employer
should have, but does not appear to
have, complied; and
4. Advise the employer of the right to
submit countervailing evidence directly
to USCIS or to file a new application in
accordance with specific instructions
provided by the NPC Certifying Officer.
D. If the NPC Certifying Officer issues
a temporary labor certification, it shall
be for the entire duration of the
temporary employment opportunity
identified on the ETA Form 750, Part A,
beginning no earlier than the date
certification was granted. If
extraordinary circumstances establish a
need that requires the non-agricultural
services or labor for more than one year,
a new application must be filed for the
period past one year;
E. If one or more U.S. workers were
hired or unlawfully rejected by the
employer or the employer’s application
and supporting documentation and/or
evidence does not substantiate a
temporary need for workers for the
entire period of need identified on the
original ETA Form 750, Part A, the NPC
Certifying Officer has the authority to
issue a partial certification for only
those job opportunities that remain
unfilled by qualified U.S. workers, and/
or for only the period of need that is
supported by the available
documentation or evidence; and
F. The date on the temporary labor
certification shall be the beginning and
ending dates of certified employment
with the beginning date of certified
employment not earlier than the date
certification was granted.
VI. Document Transmittal
A. After making a temporary labor
certification determination, the NPC
Certifying Officer shall notify the
employer, in writing, of the final
determination;
B. If certification is granted, the NPC
Certifying Officer shall send the
certified application containing the
official temporary labor certification
stamp and a Final Determination letter
to the employer or, if appropriate, the
employer’s agent or attorney. The Final
Determination letter shall direct the
employer to submit all documents
together with the employer’s petition to
the appropriate USCIS Office;
C. If a notice is issued that
certification has been denied or cannot
be made, the NPC Certifying Officer
PO 00000
Frm 00076
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
38625
shall return one copy of the Application
for Alien Employment Certification,
ETA Form 750, supporting documents,
and the Final Determination letter to the
employer, or, if appropriate, to the
employer’s agent or attorney.
VII. Appeal of Notice that a Certification
Cannot be Made
A. The finding by the NPC Certifying
Officer, that a certification cannot be
made, is the final decision of the
Secretary of Labor and is advisory to the
USCIS. There is no provision for
reconsideration or appeal of the
decision within DOL;
B. In accordance with the USCIS
regulations at 8 CFR 214.2(h)(6)(iv)(E),
the employer may submit countervailing
evidence directly to the USCIS that
qualified persons in the U.S. are not
available, that the employer’s need for
the duties to be performed is
represented as temporary, that wages
and working conditions of U.S. workers
will not be adversely affected, and that
the DOL’s employment policies were
observed.
VIII. Validity of Temporary Labor
Certifications
A temporary labor certification is
valid only for the number of aliens, the
area of intended employment, the
specific occupation and duties, the
period of time, and the employer
specified on the Application for Alien
Employment Certification, ETA Form
750.
[FR Doc. E7–13656 Filed 7–12–07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510–FP–P
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Occupational Safety and Health
Administration
Maritime Advisory Committee for
Occupational Safety and Health; Notice
of Meeting
Occupational Safety and Health
Administration (OSHA), Labor.
ACTION: Maritime Advisory Committee
for Occupational Safety and Health;
notice of meeting.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: The Maritime Advisory
Committee for Occupational Safety and
Health (‘‘MACOSH’’ or ‘‘Committee’’)
was established to advise the Assistant
Secretary of Labor for OSHA on issues
relating to occupational safety and
health in the maritime industries. The
purpose of this Federal Register notice
is to announce the MACOSH and
workgroup meetings scheduled for July
31 through August 1, 2007.
E:\FR\FM\13JYN1.SGM
13JYN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 134 (Friday, July 13, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38621-38625]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-13656]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Employment and Training Administration
Procedures for H-2B Temporary Labor Certification in Non-
Agricultural Occupations
AGENCY: Employment & Training Administration, Labor.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This notice, also published as Training and Employment
Guidance Letter (TEGL) 21-06, Change 1 (https://wdr.doleta.gov/
directives/corr_doc.cfm?docn=2456), modifies certain procedures under
TEGL 21-06 for State Workforce Agencies and ETA National Processing
Centers to process H-2B labor certification applications. H-2B visas
are for temporary employment in non-agricultural occupations.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. References
Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) sec. 101(a)(15)(H)(ii)(b), 20
Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Parts 652 and 655; 8 CFR 214.2(h)(6);
and Training and Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL) 21-06: Procedures
for H-2B Temporary Labor Certification in Non-Agricultural Occupations.
II. Background
The H-2B non-immigrant visa program permits employers to hire
foreign workers to come temporarily to the United States and perform
temporary non-agricultural services or labor on a one-time, seasonal,
peakload, or intermittent basis. The H-2B visa classification requires
the Secretary of Homeland Security to consult with appropriate agencies
before admitting H-2B non-immigrants. Homeland Security regulations
require the intending employer first to apply for a temporary labor
certification from the Secretary of Labor advising the Department of
Homeland Security's United States Citizenship and Immigration Services
(USCIS) as to whether qualified U.S. workers are available and whether
the alien's employment will adversely affect the wages and working
conditions of similarly employed U.S. workers, or a notice that such
certification cannot be made, prior to filing an H-2B visa petition
with USCIS.
On April 4, 2007, the Department issued TEGL 21-06, which updated
procedures for State Workforce Agencies (SWAs) and ETA National
Processing Centers (NPCs) to use in the processing of temporary labor
certification applications under the H-2B program. The Department then
held two public briefing sessions in Chicago and Atlanta on May 1 and
May 4, 2007, respectively, to inform employers and other stakeholders
of the updated processing guidance contained in TEGL 21-06. Employers
and other stakeholders who attended those public briefing sessions
raised important questions and concerns with regard to the effective
implementation of TEGL 21-06 by the SWAs and NPCs. The purpose of this
document is to outline certain modifications to TEGL 21-06 as a formal
response to issues raised during the public briefing sessions and
improve the processing of H-2B applications by the SWAs and NPCs.
[[Page 38622]]
III. Modifications to Procedures for H-2B Applications
Attachment A contains certain modifications to procedures,
originally issued under TEGL 21-06, the SWAs and NPCs must use in
making temporary labor certification determinations under the H-2B
program. More specifically, sections IV and V of Attachment A contain
modifications that remind employers and other stakeholders of the right
to request review of a SWA prevailing wage determination by the NPC;
provide notification that the NPCs will no longer accept incomplete
applications for processing from the SWAs; establish a process for the
NPC Certifying Officers to issue a Request for Information (RFI) in
certain circumstances; outline the conditions under which the NPC
Certifying Officers may grant a partial temporary labor certification
to the employer; and advise the employer of the right to file a new
application in circumstances where the NPC Certifying Officer issues a
notice that a certification is denied. The modifications contained in
Attachment A replace and supersede the prior corresponding operating
procedures issued under TEGL 21-06.
IV. Effective Date
This guidance applies to all pending and new temporary labor
certification applications received by the SWAs on or after June 1,
2007.
V. Action Required
NPC Directors and SWA Administrators are requested to provide
Center and SWA staff involved in the processing of H-2B applications
with a copy of these procedures.
VI. Inquiries
Questions from State Workforce Agency staff should be directed to
the appropriate NPC Certifying Officer.
Signed at Washington, DC, this 9th day of July, 2007.
Emily Stover DeRocco,
Assistant Secretary, Employment & Training Administration, Labor.
Attachment A: Procedures for H-2B Certification of Temporary Non-
Agricultural Occupations (Revised June 2007)
I. General Provisions
A. The regulations of the United States Citizenship and Immigration
Service (USCIS), 8 CFR 214.2(h)(6), apply to employers who wish to
import non-agricultural workers to perform services or labor in
temporary jobs within the United States (U.S.). Section 214(c)(1) of
the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) requires the Department of
Homeland Security (DHS) to consult with appropriate agencies of the
government before granting H-2B petitions.
B. USCIS regulations state that employers who file H-2B petitions
(except for temporary employment on Guam) must include a certification
from the DOL stating that qualified workers are not available in the
U.S., and the foreign worker's employment will not adversely affect the
wages and working conditions of similarly employed U.S. workers.
C. The H-2B non-immigrant program permits employers to hire foreign
workers to perform temporary non-agricultural work within the U.S. on a
one-time occurrence, seasonal, peakload, or intermittent basis (8 CFR
214.2(h)(6)(ii)(B)).
D. The DOL regulations at 20 CFR part 655, subpart A--Labor
Certification Process for Temporary Employment in Occupations Other
Than Agriculture, Logging or Registered Nurses in the United States (H-
2B Workers), governs the labor certification process for temporary
employment in the U.S. under the H-2B classification, and requires that
the Regional Administrator (now National Processing Center (NPC))
Certifying Officer of the Employment and Training Administration (ETA)
issue temporary labor certifications on behalf of the Secretary of
Labor.
E. An H-2B temporary labor certification is advisory to USCIS and,
where the employer is notified by the NPC Certifying Officer that
certification is denied or cannot be made, the employer may submit
countervailing evidence, according to 8 CFR part 214.2(h)(6)(iv)(E),
directly to USCIS. There is no provision for reconsideration or appeal
of the determination made by the DOL through the NPC Certifying
Officer.
II. Standards for Determining the Temporary Nature of a Job Opportunity
Under the H-2B Classification
A. A job opportunity is considered temporary under the H-2B
classification if the employer's need for the duties to be performed is
temporary, whether or not the underlying job is permanent or temporary.
It is the nature of the employer's need, not the nature of the duties,
that is controlling (Matter of Artee Corp., 18 I&N Dec. 366 (Comm.
1982)).
B. Part-time employment does not qualify as employment for
temporary labor certification under the H-2B program. Only full-time
employment can be certified.
C. The Federal regulations at 8 CFR 214.2(h)(6)(ii) state that the
period of the petitioner's need must be a year or less, although there
may be extraordinary circumstances where the temporary services or
labor might last longer than one year. If there are unforeseen
circumstances where the employer's need exceeds one year, a new
application for temporary labor certification is required for each
period beyond one year. However, an employer's seasonal or peakload
need of longer than 10 months, which is of a recurring nature, will not
be accepted.
D. The employer's need for temporary non-agricultural services or
labor must be justified to the NPC Certifying Officer under one of the
following standards: (1) A one-time occurrence, (2) a seasonal need,
(3) a peakload need, or (4) an intermittent need.
1. One-Time Occurrence. The petitioner must establish that either
(1) it has not employed workers to perform the services or labor in the
past and that it will not need workers to perform the services or labor
in the future, or (2) it has an employment situation that is otherwise
permanent, but a temporary event of short duration has created the need
for a temporary worker(s);
2. Seasonal Need. The petitioner must establish that the services
or labor is traditionally tied to a season of the year by an event or
pattern and is of a recurring nature. The petitioner shall specify the
period(s) of time during each year in which it does not need the
services or labor. The employment is not seasonal if the period during
which the services or labor is not needed is unpredictable or subject
to change or is considered a vacation period for the petitioner's
permanent employees;
3. Peakload Need. The petitioner must establish that (1) it
regularly employs permanent workers to perform the services or labor at
the place of employment and that it needs to supplement its permanent
staff at the place of employment on a temporary basis due to a seasonal
or short-term demand, and (2) the temporary additions to staff will not
become a part of the petitioner's regular operation; or
4. Intermittent Need. The petitioner must establish that it has not
employed permanent or full-time workers to perform the services or
labor, but occasionally or intermittently needs temporary workers to
perform services or labor for short periods.
III. Application Filing Procedures
A. An employer desiring to use foreign workers for temporary non-
agricultural employment must file a complete ETA Form 750, Part A,
Offer
[[Page 38623]]
of Employment portion of the Application for Alien Employment
Certification with the State Workforce Agency (SWA) serving the area of
intended employment. If the application includes worksite locations
within a Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) covering multiple SWAs,
the employer may submit a single application to the SWA where the
employment will begin. In those instances where the employment crosses
NPC jurisdictions as well, the NPC that has jurisdiction over the SWA
where the employment will begin shall process the application.
The U.S. Census Bureau maintains a current listing of all MSAs as
well as maps by state at the following Web site: https://www.census.gov/
population/www/estimates/metroarea.html.
B. An association or other organization of employers is not
permitted to file master applications on behalf of its membership under
the H-2B program;
C. Job contractors typically supply labor to one or more employers
as part of signed work contracts or labor services agreements. The
temporary or permanent nature of the work to be performed in such
applications will be determined by examining the job contractor's need
for such workers, rather than the needs of its employer customers;
D. Every H-2B application shall include:
1. Two (2) originals of the ETA Form 750, Part A, Offer of
Employment portion of the Application for Alien Employment
Certification, signed and dated by the employer. Part B, Statement of
Qualifications of the Alien, is not required to be completed;
2. Documentation of any efforts to advertise and recruit U.S.
workers prior to filing the application with the SWA;
3. A detailed statement explaining (a) why the job opportunity and
number of workers being requested reflect a temporary need, and (b) how
the employer's request for the services or labor meets one of the
standards of a one-time occurrence, a seasonal need, a peakload need,
or an intermittent need. This statement of temporary need must be
submitted separately on the employer's letterhead with signature. A
labor shortage, however severe, does not alone establish a temporary
need. One of the four temporary need standards must be satisfied;
4. Supporting evidence and documentation that justifies the chosen
standard of temporary need must be submitted. Examples of supportive
evidence or documentation for the most common standards of seasonal and
peakload need include, but are not limited to, the following:
a. Signed work contracts, letters of intent from clients, and/or
monthly invoices from previous calendar year(s) clearly showing work
will be performed for each month during the requested period of need on
the ETA Form 750, Part A, Item 18b. This type of documentation will
demonstrate the employer's need for the work to be performed is tied to
a season(s) of the year and will recur next year on the same cycle;
b. Annualized and/or multi-year work contracts or work agreements
supplemented with documentation specifying the actual dates when work
will commence and end during each year of service and clearly showing
work will be performed for each month during the requested period of
need on the ETA Form 750, Part A, Item--18b.;
c. Summarized monthly payroll reports for a minimum of one previous
calendar year that identifies, for each month and separately for full-
time permanent and temporary employment in the requested occupation,
the total number of workers or staff employed, total hours worked, and
total earnings received. Such documentation must be signed by the
employer attesting that the information being presented was compiled
from the employer's actual accounting records or system. Employers
should be prepared to provide the documents utilized to generate the
summarized monthly payroll reports if requested by the NPC Certifying
Officer.
Examples of insufficient documentation: Work contracts with no
clear start and/or termination date and contracts with temporary
workers. Applications supported solely by weather charts, event
calendars, hotel occupancy rates, or annual/quarterly tax reports
(e.g., IRS Form 941) will not be sufficient to prove a temporary need.
Staffing charts, graphs, or other documentation, which do not
correspond with the requested period of need on the ETA Form 750, Part
A, Item--18b, will also not be sufficient to prove a temporary need.
E. To allow for enough time for the recruitment of U.S. workers and
sufficient time for processing by the states and NPCs, the SWAs shall
advise employers to file requests for temporary labor certification at
least 60 days before the worker(s) is needed in order to receive a
timely determination;
F. Unless the NPC Certifying Officer specifies otherwise, the SWA
shall return to the employer any request for temporary labor
certification filed by the employer more than 120 days before the
worker(s) is needed and advise them to re-file the application no more
than 120 days before the worker(s) is needed. This is necessary since
the availability of temporary U.S. workers changes over short periods
of time and an adequate test of the labor market cannot be made during
a longer period;
G. More than one worker may be requested on the ETA Form 750, Part
A, Item 18a, if they are to do the same type of work on the same terms
and conditions, in the same occupation, in the same area(s) of intended
employment during the same period. The total number of workers
requested by the employer must also be specified in the advertisement
and the job order required under Section IV of these instructions;
H. If the employer's representative files the application, the
employer must sign the ``Authorization of Agent of Employer'' statement
on the ETA Form 750, which authorizes the agent to act on the
employer's behalf. An attorney must file a Notice of Appearance (Form
G-28) naming the attorney's client(s). The employer is fully
responsible for the accuracy of all representations made by the agent
on the employer's behalf; and
I. When the job opportunity requires work to be done at multiple
locations either within the jurisdiction of the SWA or within a MSA
that covers multiple SWAs, the application must include the names and
physical addresses of each location. This requirement also applies to
job contractors filing H-2B applications.
IV. SWA Processing Instructions
A. The SWA shall review the job offer for completeness. A job
opportunity containing a wage offer below the prevailing wage will not
be accepted. The SWA shall determine the prevailing wage, guided by the
regulation at 20 CFR 656.40 and in accordance with Employment and
Training Administration, Prevailing Wage Determination Policy Guidance,
Non-agricultural Immigration Programs, Revised May 9, 2005 (https://
www.foreignlaborcert.doleta.gov/pdf/Policy_Nonag_Progs.pdf). In
accordance with Section IV of the Prevailing Wage Determination Policy
Guidance, an employer that disagrees with the prevailing wage
determination is afforded one opportunity to provide supplemental
information to the SWA or to request review by the NPC Certifying
Officer.
B. If the application is incomplete or the job offer is less than
full-time, offers to pay a wage below the prevailing wage, contains
unduly restrictive job
[[Page 38624]]
requirements or a combination of duties not normal to the occupation,
or has terms and conditions of employment which otherwise inhibit the
effective recruitment and consideration of U.S. workers for the job, or
is otherwise unacceptable because it does not comply with DOL policies,
the SWA shall advise the employer to correct the deficiencies before
commencing the recruitment.
The SWA shall communicate deficiencies in the application by fax,
electronic mail, or any other means to assure expedited overnight
delivery. In addition, the SWA shall advise the employer or the
employer's authorized representative that failure to respond to the SWA
notification, or failure to correct all of the deficiencies set forth
in the notification for the application will result in the case being
closed and processing discontinued.
C. When commencing recruitment, the SWA shall prepare a job order,
using the information on the application, and place it into the SWA job
bank system for 10 calendar days. During this period, the SWA should
refer qualified applicants who contact the local offices and those in
its active job files. If the application indicates that work will be
performed in multiple locations within a MSA and one or more locations
are outside the jurisdiction of the SWA, the SWA shall clear the job
order for 10 calendar days with the appropriate state(s) where the work
is to be performed and accept for referral to the employer qualified
applicants from the state(s).
D. During the 10-day posting of the job order, the employer shall
advertise the job opportunity in a newspaper of general circulation for
3 consecutive calendar days or in a readily available professional,
trade or ethnic publication, whichever the SWA determines is most
appropriate for the occupation and most likely to bring responses from
U.S. workers. If the job opportunity is located in a rural area that
does not have a newspaper with a daily edition, the employer shall use
a daily edition with the widest circulation in the nearest urban area
or such other publication as determined by the SWA.
E. The employer advertisement must:
1. Identify the employer's name, location(s) of work, and direct
applicants to report or send resumes to the SWA for referral to the
employer by disclosing the SWA contact information and job order
number;
2. Describe the job opportunity with particularity, including
duties to be performed, work hours and days, rate of pay, and the
duration of the employment;
3. State the employer's minimum job requirements;
4. Offer wages, terms, and conditions of employment which are not
less favorable than those offered to the alien and are consistent with
the nature of the occupation, activity, and industry; and
5. State the job is ``temporary'' and include the total number of
job openings the employer intends to fill.
F. The employer shall document that union and other recruitment
sources, appropriate for the occupation and customary in the industry,
were contacted and either unable to refer qualified U.S. workers or
non-responsive to the employer's request. Such documentation must be
signed by the employer.
G. The employer shall provide the SWA with copies of newspaper
pages (e.g., tear sheets) or other proof of publication (e.g.,
affidavit of publication, invoices or other electronic verification)
furnished by the newspaper for each day the advertisement was
published. In addition, the employer shall submit to the SWA a written,
detailed recruitment report that is signed by the employer. The written
recruitment report must:
1. Identify each recruitment source by name;
2. State the name, address, and telephone number and provide
resumes (if submitted to the employer) of each U.S. worker who applied
for the job; and
3. Explain the lawful job-related reason(s) for not hiring each
U.S. worker.
H. After the recruitment period, the SWA shall send the
application, results of recruitment, prevailing wage findings, and all
other supporting documentation to the appropriate NPC Certifying
Officer. The NPC Certifying Officers will not accept incomplete
applications for processing from the SWA even with assurances from the
employer or the employer's representative that documentation will be
forthcoming. The NPC Certifying Officers will remand incomplete
applications back to the SWA.
I. Based on the results of the employer's and SWA recruitment
efforts, the NPC Certifying Officer shall determine whether there are
other appropriate sources of workers from which the employer should
have recruited in order to obtain qualified U.S. workers. If further
recruitment is warranted, the NPC Certifying Officer shall return the
application to the SWA with specific instructions for additional
recruitment.
V. NPC Temporary Labor Certification Determinations
A. The NPC Certifying Officer shall determine whether to grant or
deny the temporary labor certification or to issue a notice that such
certification cannot be made based on whether or not:
1. The nature of the employer's need is temporary and justified
based on a one-time occurrence, seasonal, peakload, or intermittent
basis. To determine this, the NPC Certifying Officer shall take into
account the duration of the employment opportunity identified on the
ETA Form 750, Part A, the employer's statement of temporary need, and
all evidence and documentation submitted with the application intended
to substantiate the chosen standard of temporary need.
2. Qualified U.S. workers are available for the temporary job
opportunity.
a. To determine if a U.S. worker is available, the NPC Certifying
Officer shall consider U.S. workers living or working in the area of
intended employment, and may also consider U.S. workers who are willing
to move from elsewhere to take the job at their own expense, or at the
employer's expense, if the prevailing practice among employers who
employ workers in the occupation is to pay such relocation expenses;
b. The NPC Certifying Officer shall consider a U.S. worker able and
qualified for the job opportunity if the worker by education, training,
experience, or a combination thereof, can perform the duties involved
in the occupation as customarily performed by other U.S. workers
similarly employed and is willing to accept the specific job
opportunity; and
c. To determine if U.S. workers are available for job opportunities
that will be performed in more than one location, workers must be
available in each location on the dates specified by the employer.
3. The employment of the alien will not adversely affect the wages
and working conditions of similarly employed U.S. workers. To determine
this, the NPC Certifying Officer shall consider such factors as local
or regional labor market information, special circumstances of the
industry, organization, and/or occupation, the prevailing wage rate for
the occupation in the area of intended employment, and prevailing
working conditions, such as hours of work; and
4. The job opportunity contains requirements or conditions which
preclude consideration of U.S. workers or which otherwise prevent their
effective recruitment, such as:
[[Page 38625]]
a. The job opportunity is vacant because the former occupant is on
strike or locked out in the course of a labor dispute involving a work
stoppage or the job is at issue in a labor dispute involving a work
stoppage;
b. The job opportunity's terms, conditions, and/or occupational
environment are contrary to Federal, state, or local law;
c. The employer has no location within the U.S. to which domestic
workers can be referred and hired for employment;
d. The employer will not pay a wage or salary for the job to be
performed;
e. The job's requirements are unduly restrictive or represent a
combination of duties not normal to the occupation; or
f. The employer has not recruited U.S. workers according to DOL
policies and procedures.
B. In situations where the application appears to be ineligible for
temporary labor certification because the employer has not met its
burden of providing adequate documentation/evidence or where a specific
DOL policy was not complied with by the employer, the NPC Certifying
Officer has the authority to issue one Request for Information (RFI),
in writing, to the employer or the employer's authorized
representative. When issued by the NPC Certifying Officer, the RFI
shall:
1. Specify the reason(s) why the documentation/evidence submitted
is not sufficient to grant temporary labor certification;
2. Indicate the specific DOL policy(ies) with which the employer
does not appear to have complied; and
3. Advise the employer that a written response must be sent within
no later than seven (7) calendar days of receiving the RFI and must be
transmitted by a method that ensures receipt by the Certifying Officer
the next business day, which may include fax, electronic mail, or
overnight delivery.
Upon receipt of a response to the RFI or expiration of the stated
deadline for receipt of the response, the NPC Certifying Officer will
review the existing application as well as any supplemental materials
submitted by the employer or the employer's representative and issue a
final determination.
C. If the NPC Certifying Officer issues a notice that a
certification is denied or cannot be made, the Final Determination
letter shall:
1. Detail the reasons why certification cannot be made. The
Certifying Officer is not required to accept determination by the SWA
concerning the acceptability of the application;
2. If applicable, address the availability of U.S. workers in the
occupation as well as the prevailing wages and working conditions of
similarly employed U.S. workers in the occupation;
3. Indicate the specific DOL policy(ies) with which the employer
should have, but does not appear to have, complied; and
4. Advise the employer of the right to submit countervailing
evidence directly to USCIS or to file a new application in accordance
with specific instructions provided by the NPC Certifying Officer.
D. If the NPC Certifying Officer issues a temporary labor
certification, it shall be for the entire duration of the temporary
employment opportunity identified on the ETA Form 750, Part A,
beginning no earlier than the date certification was granted. If
extraordinary circumstances establish a need that requires the non-
agricultural services or labor for more than one year, a new
application must be filed for the period past one year;
E. If one or more U.S. workers were hired or unlawfully rejected by
the employer or the employer's application and supporting documentation
and/or evidence does not substantiate a temporary need for workers for
the entire period of need identified on the original ETA Form 750, Part
A, the NPC Certifying Officer has the authority to issue a partial
certification for only those job opportunities that remain unfilled by
qualified U.S. workers, and/or for only the period of need that is
supported by the available documentation or evidence; and
F. The date on the temporary labor certification shall be the
beginning and ending dates of certified employment with the beginning
date of certified employment not earlier than the date certification
was granted.
VI. Document Transmittal
A. After making a temporary labor certification determination, the
NPC Certifying Officer shall notify the employer, in writing, of the
final determination;
B. If certification is granted, the NPC Certifying Officer shall
send the certified application containing the official temporary labor
certification stamp and a Final Determination letter to the employer
or, if appropriate, the employer's agent or attorney. The Final
Determination letter shall direct the employer to submit all documents
together with the employer's petition to the appropriate USCIS Office;
C. If a notice is issued that certification has been denied or
cannot be made, the NPC Certifying Officer shall return one copy of the
Application for Alien Employment Certification, ETA Form 750,
supporting documents, and the Final Determination letter to the
employer, or, if appropriate, to the employer's agent or attorney.
VII. Appeal of Notice that a Certification Cannot be Made
A. The finding by the NPC Certifying Officer, that a certification
cannot be made, is the final decision of the Secretary of Labor and is
advisory to the USCIS. There is no provision for reconsideration or
appeal of the decision within DOL;
B. In accordance with the USCIS regulations at 8 CFR
214.2(h)(6)(iv)(E), the employer may submit countervailing evidence
directly to the USCIS that qualified persons in the U.S. are not
available, that the employer's need for the duties to be performed is
represented as temporary, that wages and working conditions of U.S.
workers will not be adversely affected, and that the DOL's employment
policies were observed.
VIII. Validity of Temporary Labor Certifications
A temporary labor certification is valid only for the number of
aliens, the area of intended employment, the specific occupation and
duties, the period of time, and the employer specified on the
Application for Alien Employment Certification, ETA Form 750.
[FR Doc. E7-13656 Filed 7-12-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-FP-P