[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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