[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 247 (Friday, December 23, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Page 94422]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-30928]


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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: 2017 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 
2017 Adverse Effect Wage Rates (AEWRs) for the employment of temporary 
or seasonal nonimmigrant foreign workers (H-2A workers) to perform 
agricultural labor or services.
    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. In this notice, the Department announces the annual update of 
the AEWRs.

DATES: Effective Date: This notice is effective December 23, 2016.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: William W. Thompson, II, Acting 
Administrator, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training 
Administration, Office of Foreign Labor Certification, 200 Constitution 
Avenue NW., Room PPII-12-200, Washington, DC 20210. Telephone: 202-513-
7350 (this is not a toll-free number).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: As a condition precedent to receiving an H-
2A visa, employers must first obtain a labor certification from the 
Department of Labor. 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), 1184(c)(1), and 
1188(a); 8 CFR 214.2(h)(5); 20 CFR 655.100.

Adverse Effect Wage Rates for 2017

    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 
hourly wage rate; (iii) the prevailing piece rate; (iv) the agreed-upon 
collective bargaining wage rate, if applicable; or (v) the Federal or 
State minimum wage rate, 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 characterized by other than a reasonably regular workday or 
workweek as described in 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) in the 
State or region as published annually by the United States Department 
of Agriculture (USDA). 20 CFR 655.120(c) requires that 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 2017 AEWRs to be paid for 
agricultural work performed by H-2A and U.S. workers on or after the 
effective date of this notice are set forth in the table below:

                  Table--2017 Adverse Effect Wage Rates
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                          State                             2017 AEWRs
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Alabama.................................................          $10.62
Arizona.................................................           10.95
Arkansas................................................           10.38
California..............................................           12.57
Colorado................................................           11.00
Connecticut.............................................           12.38
Delaware................................................           12.19
Florida.................................................           11.12
Georgia.................................................           10.62
Hawaii..................................................           13.14
Idaho...................................................           11.66
Illinois................................................           13.01
Indiana.................................................           13.01
Iowa....................................................           13.12
Kansas..................................................           13.79
Kentucky................................................           10.92
Louisiana...............................................           10.38
Maine...................................................           12.38
Maryland................................................           12.19
Massachusetts...........................................           12.38
Michigan................................................           12.75
Minnesota...............................................           12.75
Mississippi.............................................           10.38
Missouri................................................           13.12
Montana.................................................           11.66
Nebraska................................................           13.79
Nevada..................................................           11.00
New Hampshire...........................................           12.38
New Jersey..............................................           12.19
New Mexico..............................................           10.95
New York................................................           12.38
North Carolina..........................................           11.27
North Dakota............................................           13.79
Ohio....................................................           13.01
Oklahoma................................................           11.59
Oregon..................................................           13.38
Pennsylvania............................................           12.19
Rhode Island............................................           12.38
South Carolina..........................................           10.62
South Dakota............................................           13.79
Tennessee...............................................           10.92
Texas...................................................           11.59
Utah....................................................           11.00
Vermont.................................................           12.38
Virginia................................................           11.27
Washington..............................................           13.38
West Virginia...........................................           10.92
Wisconsin...............................................           12.75
Wyoming.................................................           11.66
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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 2017 to 
announce (1) the allowable charges for 2017 that employers seeking H-2A 
workers may charge their workers for providing them three meals a day; 
and (2) the maximum travel subsistence reimbursement which a worker 
with receipts may claim in 2017.

    Signed in Washington, DC
Portia Wu,
Assistant Secretary, Employment and Training Administration.
[FR Doc. 2016-30928 Filed 12-22-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4510-FP-P