Department of Labor May 29, 2009 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, is conducting a pre-clearance consultation to provide the general public and Federal agencies with an opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing collections of information in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) [44 U.S.C. 3505(c)(2)(A)]. The program helps to ensure that requested data can be provided in the desired format, reporting burden (time and financial resources) is minimized, collection instruments are clearly understood, and the impact of the collection requirements on respondents can be properly assessed.

The Employment and Training Administration (ETA) of the Department of Labor (Department) is issuing this Notice to announce: The 2009 Adverse Effect Wage Rates (AEWRs) for employers seeking to employ temporary or seasonal nonimmigrant foreign workers to perform agricultural labor or services (H-2A workers) or logging (H-2B logging workers); the allowable charges for 2009 that employers seeking H-2A workers, and H-2B logging workers may levy upon their workers when three meals a day are provided by the employer; and the maximum travel subsistence reimbursement which a worker with receipts may claim in 2009. AEWRs are the minimum wage rates the Department has determined must be offered and paid by employers of H-2A workers or H-2B logging workers to U.S. and foreign workers for a particular occupation and/or area so that the wages of similarly employed U.S. workers will not be adversely affected. 20 CFR 655.100(b) and 655.200(b).\1\ These rates will apply to applications for H-2A labor certification and H-2B logging certifications filed after June 29, 2009.