Recovered over $1M in back wages, assessed $650K in penalties, debarred 4 employers
ATLANTA - An ongoing federal initiative to ensure that Southeast employers comply with federal laws regarding the employment of temporary nonimmigrant workers with H-2B guest visas has made significant progress in holding violators accountable for infringing on workers’ rights.
From October 2019 through March 2022, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division in the Southeast has recovered more than $1 million in back wages denied to nearly 1,000 workers. The division also assessed more than $650,000 in civil money penalties and debarred four employers and labor contractors for their violations of the H-2B visa program.
The H-2B visa program allows U.S. employers to bring foreign workers to the United States to perform non-agricultural labor or services of a temporary nature— a one-time occurrence on a seasonal, a peak load or intermittent basis.
During this period, investigators conducted 73 H-2B investigations in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.
“The H-2B visa program includes specific requirements employers must follow to participate. Our ongoing initiative will ensure the rights of all workers – both U.S. and visa workers – in the Southeast are protected, and make employers answer for their violations of the law,” said Wage and Hour Division Regional Administrator Juan Coria in Atlanta.
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