The Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration announced updates to the Adverse Effect Wage Rates (AEWR) for H-2A temporary agricultural workers in the U.S. These wage rates are the minimum amounts employers must pay to ensure that the U.S. workers' wages and conditions are not negatively impacted. The new AEWRs, effective December 16, 2024, or December 30, 2024, for certain states due to a court order, apply to specific agricultural job categories. The rates are based on the USDA's Farm Labor Report and ensure that employers pay workers adequately according to established wage data.
Simple Explanation
The government changed the rules to make sure that farms pay fair wages to foreign workers who come to the U.S. to help with planting and harvesting, so that American workers' pay doesn't drop. These new rules set specific amounts that farmers have to pay workers starting in December 2024.