[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 235 (Friday, December 5, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Page 74197]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-28847]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration

Employment Standards Administration


Announcement of Public Briefings on Using the New H-2A Temporary 
Agricultural Labor Certification Program

AGENCIES: Employment and Training Administration; Wage and Hour 
Division, Employment Standards Administration, Labor.

ACTION: Notice of meeting.

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SUMMARY: The Office of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC) in the 
Department of Labor's Employment & Training Administration (ETA) has 
been re-engineering several of its programs, including the H-2A foreign 
agricultural worker labor certification program. The Wage and Hour 
Division (WHD) of the Employment Standards Administration (ESA) has 
been amending contractual obligations applicable to employers of 
workers subject to Section 218 of the Immigration and Nationality Act 
(INA). The Department published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) 
to redesign the H-2A agricultural labor certification program on 
February 13, 2008. The Department is currently reviewing public 
comments on this proposed rule and intends to publish final regulations 
before the end of the calendar year. In addition, the Department of 
Homeland Security (DHS) has published an NPRM to amend its H-2A 
regulations and intends to publish a final rule before the end of the 
calendar year as well.
    Pursuant to the Department of Labor final rule, changes to 
information collection and regulatory requirements will affect the 
application forms. The H-2A program will no longer use the Form ETA 750 
(OMB control number 1205-0015). Instead the program will utilize the 
new Form ETA 9142 (OMB control number 1205-0466). The new regulations 
also federalize the prevailing wage determination process in the H-2A 
program.
    ETA and ESA are issuing this notice to announce that they will 
offer at least two public briefings to educate stakeholders, program 
users, and other interested members of the public on using the re-
engineered program and new form. Representatives from DHS will also be 
joining the Department of Labor at the briefing sessions. As currently 
planned, the two briefings will take place in late 2008 in Atlanta and 
Denver. This notice provides the public with locations, dates, and 
registration information regarding the briefings. However, these 
briefings are subject to change and/or cancellation without further 
notice in the Federal Register. In the event of a change participants 
who have registered will be notified.

Time and Dates

1. Friday, December 12, 2008, Atlanta, Georgia.
    Time: 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
2. Monday, December 15, 2008, Denver, Colorado.
    Time: 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting locations are:
1. Atlanta--Marriott Marquis, 265 Peachtree Center Avenue, NE, Atlanta, 
Georgia 30303.
2. Denver--Hyatt Regency Denver, 650 15th Street, Denver, Colorado, 
80202.

    To Register: To register for a briefing session please complete the 
registration process on-line, by visiting http://www.dtiassociates.com/oflcbriefings. For questions regarding the registration process, please 
call (703) 299-1623 (this is not a toll-free number). Due to space 
considerations, attendance will be limited to those who register 
online. In the event of cancellation or change, participants will be 
notified.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information regarding 
ETA's portion of the briefing, contact William Carlson, Ph.D., 
Administrator, Office of Foreign Labor Certification, Employment and 
Training Administration, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Room C-4312, 
Washington, DC 20210; Telephone: (202) 693-3010 (this is not a toll-
free number). For further information regarding ESA's portion of the 
briefing, contact James Kessler, Farm Labor Team Leader, Wage and Hour 
Division, Employment Standards Administration, U.S. Department of 
Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Room S-3510, Washington, DC 20210; 
Telephone (202) 693-0070 (this is not a toll-free number).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The registration information should be used 
by any member of the public planning to attend a briefing session. The 
agenda assumes publication of both Department of Labor and Department 
of Homeland Security final rules.

    Signed in Washington, DC, this 1st day of December 2008.
Brent R. Orrell,
Deputy Assistant Secretary, Employment and Training Administration.
Alexander J. Passantino,
Administrator, Wage and Hour Division, Employment Standards 
Administration.
 [FR Doc. E8-28847 Filed 12-4-08; 8:45 am]
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