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 Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration
 AGENCY: Employment and Training Administration, Department of Labor.
 ACTION: Notice.
 SUMMARY: The Employment and Training Administration (ETA) of the Department of Labor (Department) is issuing this notice to announce the 2015 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. 20 CFR 655.100(b). In this notice, the Department announces the annual update of the AEWRs.
 DATES: *Effective Date:*
                         This notice is effective 
                        *December 19, 2014.*
 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: William W. Thompson, Acting 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), 1184(c)(1), and 1188(a); 8 CFR 214.2(h)(5). Adverse Effect Wage Rates for 2015 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 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) 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 2015 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—2015 Adverse Effect Wage Rates
State
2015 AEWRsAlabama
$10.00Arizona
10.54Arkansas
10.18California
11.33Colorado
11.37Connecticut
11.26Delaware
11.29Florida
10.19Georgia
10.00Hawaii
12.98Idaho
11.14Illinois
11.61Indiana
11.61Iowa
12.62Kansas
13.59Kentucky
10.28Louisiana
10.18Maine
11.26Maryland
11.29Massachusetts
11.26Michigan
11.56Minnesota
11.56Mississippi
10.18Missouri
12.62Montana
11.14Nebraska
13.59Nevada
11.37New Hampshire
11.26New Jersey
11.29New Mexico
10.54New York
11.26North Carolina
10.32North Dakota
13.59Ohio
11.61Oklahoma
10.35Oregon
12.42Pennsylvania
11.29Rhode Island
11.26South Carolina
10.00South Dakota
13.59Tennessee
10.28Texas
10.35Utah
11.37Vermont
11.26Virginia
10.32Washington
12.42West Virginia
10.28Wisconsin
11.56Wyoming
11.14
 Pursuant to the H-2A regulations at 20 CFR 655.173, the Department will publish a separate 
                    **Federal Register**
                     notice in early 2015 to announce (1) the allowable charges for 2015 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 
                    ( print page 75840)
                    a worker with receipts may claim in 2015. Portia Wu, Assistant Secretary, Employment and Training Administration.


[FR Doc. 2014-29746 Filed 12-18-14; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4510-FP-P