§ 655.106 - Assurances and obligations of H-2A Labor Contractors.

(a) The pre-filing activity requirements set forth in § 655.102 are modified as follows for H-2ALCs:

(1) The job order for an H-2ALC may contain work locations in multiple areas of intended employment, and may be submitted to any one of the SWAs having jurisdiction over the anticipated work areas. The SWA receiving the job order shall promptly transmit, on behalf of the employer, a copy of its active job order to all States listed in the application as anticipated worksites, as well as those States, if any, designated by the Secretary as traditional or expected labor supply States for each area in which the employer's work is to be performed. Each SWA shall keep the H-2ALC's job order posted until the end of the recruitment period, as set forth in § 655.102(f)(3), for the area of intended employment that is covered by the SWA. SWAs in States that have been designated as traditional or expected labor supply States for more than one area of intended of employment that are listed on an application shall keep the H-2ALC's job order posted until the end of the applicable recruitment period that is last in time, and may make referrals for job opportunities in any area of intended employment that is still in an active recruitment period, as defined by § 655.102(f)(3).

(2) The H-2ALC must conduct separate positive recruitment under § 655.102(g) through (i) for each area of intended employment in which the H-2ALC intends to perform work, but need not conduct separate recruitment for each work location within a single area of intended employment. The positive recruitment for each area of intended employment must list the name and location of each fixed-site agricultural business to which the H-2ALC expects to provide H-2A workers, the expected beginning and ending dates when the H-2ALC will be providing the workers to each fixed site, and a description of the crops and activities the workers are expected to perform at such fixed site. Such positive recruitment must be conducted pre-filing for the first area of intended employment, but must be started no more than 75 and no fewer than 60 days before the listed arrival date (or the amended date, if applicable) for each subsequent area of intended employment. For each area of intended employment, the advertising that must be placed in any applicable States designated as traditional or expected labor supply States must be placed at the same time as the placement of other positive recruitment for the area of intended employment in accordance with § 655.102(i)(2).

(3) The job order and the positive recruitment in each area of intended employment may require that workers complete the remainder of the H-2ALC's itinerary.

(4) An H-2ALC who hires U.S. workers during the course of its itinerary, and accordingly releases one or more of its H-2A workers, is eligible for the release from the three-quarters guarantee with respect to the released H-2A workers that is provided for in § 655.104(i)(4).

(5) An H-2ALC may amend its application subsequent to submission in accordance with § 655.107(d)(3) to account for new or changed worksites or areas of intended employment during the course of the itinerary in the following manner:

(i) If the additional worksite(s) are in the same area(s) of intended employment as represented on the Application for Temporary Employment Certification, the H-2ALC is not required to re-recruit in those areas of intended employment if that recruitment has been completed and if the job duties at the new work sites are similar to those already covered by the application.

(ii) If the additional worksite(s) are outside the area(s) of intended employment represented on the Application for Temporary Employment Certification, the H-2ALC must submit in writing the new area(s) of intended employment and explain the reasons for the amendment of the labor certification itinerary. The CO will order additional recruitment in accordance with § 655.102(d).

(iii) For any additional worksite not included on the original application that necessitates a change in housing of H-2A workers, the H-2ALC must secure the statement of housing as described in paragraph (b)(6) of this section and obtain an inspection of such housing from the SWA in the area of intended employment.

(iv) Where additional recruitment is required under paragraphs (a)(5)(i) or (a)(5)(ii) of this section, the CO shall allow it to take place on an expedited basis, where possible, so as to allow the amended dates of need to be met.

(6) Consistent with paragraph (a)(5) of this section, no later than 30 days prior to the commencement of employment in each area of intended employment in the itinerary of an H-2ALC, the SWA having jurisdiction over that area of intended employment must complete the housing inspections for any employer-provided housing to be used by the employees of the H-2ALC.

(7) To satisfy the requirements of § 655.102(h), the H-2ALC must contact all U.S employees that worked for the H-2ALC during the previous season, except those excluded by that section, before filing its application, and must advise those workers that a separate job opportunity exists for each area of intended employment that is covered by the application. The employer may advise contacted employees that for any given job opportunity, workers may be required to complete the remainder of the H-2ALC's itinerary.

(b) In addition to the assurances and obligations listed in § 655.105, H-2ALC applicants are also required to:

(1) Provide the MSPA Farm Labor Contractor (FLC) certificate of registration number and expiration date if required under MSPA at 29 U.S.C. 1801 et seq., to have such a certificate;

(2) Identify the farm labor contracting activities the H-2ALC is authorized to perform as an FLC under MSPA as shown on the FLC certificate of registration, if required under MSPA at 29 U.S.C. 1801 et seq., to have such a certificate of registration;

(3) List the name and location of each fixed-site agricultural business to which the H-2A Labor Contractor expects to provide H-2A workers, the expected beginning and ending dates when the H-2ALC will be providing the workers to each fixed site, and a description of the crops and activities the workers are expected to perform at such fixed site;

(4) Provide proof of its ability to discharge financial obligations under the H-2A program by attesting that it has obtained a surety bond as required by 29 CFR 501.8, stating on the application the name, address, phone number, and contact person for the surety, and providing the amount of the bond (as calculated pursuant to 29 CFR 501.8) and any identifying designation utilized by the surety for the bond;

(5) Attest that it has engaged in, or will engage in within the timeframes required by § 655.102 as modified by § 655.106(a), recruitment efforts in each area of intended employment in which it has listed a fixed-site agricultural business; and

(6) Attest that it will be providing housing and transportation that complies with the applicable housing standards in § 655.104(d) or that it has obtained from each fixed-site agricultural business that will provide housing or transportation to the workers a written statement stating that:

(i) All housing used by workers and owned, operated or secured by the fixed-site agricultural business complies with the applicable housing standards in § 655.104(d); and

(ii) All transportation between the worksite and the workers' living quarters that is provided by the fixed-site agricultural business complies with all applicable Federal, State, or local laws and regulations and will provide, at a minimum, the same vehicle safety standards, driver licensure, and vehicle insurance as required under 29 U.S.C. 1841 and 29 CFR part 500, subpart D, except where workers' compensation is used to cover such transportation as described in § 655.104(h)(3).