This is designed to ensure that an H-1B employer won't undercut its competitors (because it must pay the prevailing wage). At the same time, an employer already paying higher than normal wages to its work force must pay those same wages to its H-1B workers.

The DOL Regulations provide that the required wage must be paid in cash, in pro-rated installments no less frequently than monthly (except that nondiscretionary bonuses may be paid less frequently), and with no deductions other than those specifically authorized. For example, those deductions that are required by law, authorized by a collective bargaining agreement, reasonable and customary in the occupation, or voluntary deductions by and for the benefit of the employee are permitted.

In documenting the actual wage rate, the employer must show how it determines its actual wage level, which is defined as the wage paid by that employer to all other individuals "with similar experience and qualifications for the specific employment in question." Where no such other employees exist at the place of employment, the actual wage is the wage paid to the H-1B worker. In determining the actual wage level, the following factors may be considered: (a) experience, (b) qualifications, (c) education, (d) job responsibility and function, (e) specialized knowledge, and (f) other legitimate business factors. The term "legitimate business factors" means those that it is reasonable to conclude are necessary because they conform to recognized principles or can be demonstrated by accepted rules and standards. The documentation must be detailed enough that a third party can understand how the employer applied its pay system to arrive at the actual wage for its H-1B workers.

The prevailing wage for the occupational classification in the area of intended employment must be determined as of the time of filing the application; the employer must rely on the best information available as of the time of filing the application. If applicable, the appropriate wage shall be a wage determination for the occupation and area issued under:

1. The Davis-Bacon Act, 40 U.S.C. 276a et seq. (see also 29 CFR part 1), or the McNamara-O'Hara Service Contract Act, 41 U.S.C. 351 et seq. (see also 29 CFR part 4) (which shall be available through the State Employment Workforce Agency ("SWA")); or
2. A union contract, which was negotiated at arms-length between a union and the employer, which contains a wage rate applicable to the occupation.

Otherwise, the prevailing wage shall be the average rate of wages, as determined by an appropriate wage survey. The wage stated in the LCA must be within 5 percent of the average rate of wages.

The employer is not required to use any specific methodology to determine the prevailing wage. It may utilize (in the DOL's order of preference) a SWA, an independent authoritative source, or other legitimate sources of wage data. If independent authoritative sources or other legitimate sources of wage information are utilized, they must meet all of the criteria set forth in the DOL Regulations.

SWA wage information provides some protection to employers since the DOL will accept that prevailing wage determination as correct and will not question its validity. However, using SWA wage information creates problems if the employer disagrees with the SWA, since cannot simply dismiss the SWA determination. Also, SWAs generally utilize wage information from the Occupational Employment Statistics ("OES") system, which can be inaccurate because it utilizes only two skill levels.

ACWIA now provides that in computing the prevailing wage for an employee of:

1. an institution of higher education or a related or affiliated nonprofit entity;

2. a non-profit research organization or a Governmental research organization;

the prevailing wage shall only take into account employees at such institutions and organizations in the area of employment.

In the case of a professional athlete, when the job is covered by professional sports league rules or regulations, the wage set forth in those rules or regulations shall be considered to be the prevailing wage.

These revised computations apply to:

1. applications filed on or after October 21, 1998; and

2. applications filed before October 21, 1998, but only to the extent that the computation is subject to an administrative or judicial determination that is not final as of such date.

As a result of ACWIA, the employer must further attest that the H-1B worker will be offered benefits and eligibility for benefits on the same basis, and in accordance with the same criteria, as offered to U.S. workers. They cannot be subject to stricter eligibility criteria, and cannot be treated as "temporary workers" for benefits purposes by virtue of their nonimmigrant status. However, benefits received by the H-1B worker do not have to be identical to those received by U.S. workers, as long as the same benefits package was offered and the H-1B worker voluntarily chose different benefits.

The employer must also attest that it will continue to pay this wage during periods when the alien is in non-productive status due to a decision by the employer or due to the employee's lack of permit or license. This obligation also arises from the enactment of ACWIA.

ACWIA also prohibits the employer from requiring (directly or indirectly) that the H-1B worker pay a penalty for ceasing employment prior to an agreed date. Such penalties are common in many IT worker contracts. The DOL Regulations permit the employer to receive bona fide liquidated damages (as opposed to a penalty,) although it does not appear as though such damages can be collected via a deduction from or reduction in payment of the required wage. The distinction between liquidated damages and a penalty is to be made on the basis of the applicable State law.

Attestation #2 - Working Conditions

The employer must attest that the employment of the H-1B alien will not adversely affect the working conditions of workers similarly employed in the area of intended employment. The DOL will look at issues such as hours, shifts, vacation periods, and benefits such as seniority-based preferences for training programs and work schedules. The employer must document the validity of its working conditions in the event of an investigation. The employer has the burden of establishing that its working conditions have no adverse effect on similarly employed workers in the same industry, in the same area of employment.

Attestation #3 - No Strike or Lockout

The employer must attest that at the time of filing there is no strike, lockout, or work stoppage in the H-1B worker's occupation at the workplace. No documentation need be developed or maintained but, in the event of an investigation, the employer bears the burden of proving the truth of the attestation.

If a strike begins after placement of an H-1B worker, the employer must notify the DOL in writing within three days of the strike. Further, the employer may not place, assign, lease, or otherwise contract out an H-1B nonimmigrant, during the entire period of the labor condition application's validity, to any place of employment where there is a strike, lockout, or work stoppage in the course of a labor dispute in the same occupational classification as the H-1B nonimmigrant. Finally, the employer may not use the labor condition application in support of any petition filings for H-1B nonimmigrants to work in such occupational classification at such place of employment until ETA determines that the strike, lockout, or work stoppage has ended.

Attestation #4 - Notice

The employer must attest that it has provided notice of the filing of the labor condition application to the collective bargaining representative of its employees in the H-1B occupation or, lacking such a representative, has conspicuously posted such a notice. Notice must be given on or within 30 days before the date the LCA is filed; where the notice is posted, it must stay posted for a total of ten days. In addition, the employer must give a copy of the certified LCA to the H-1B employee on or before the first day on the job.

The DOL Regulations impose a requirement that notices must be posted at new worksites within the area of intended employment on or before the date that the H-1B worker reports to that site. It also expressly requires postings at third party worksites in addition to the employer's own facilities.

Additional Attestations for H-1B Dependent Employers

As a result of ACWIA, additional attestations must be made where an employer is considered "H-1B dependent" or where it is found to be a willful violator. Under ACWIA, an employer is H-1B dependent if it has in the United States: (a) 25 or fewer full-time equivalent ("FTE") employees and more than 7 H-1B workers, (b) between 26 and 50 FTE employees and more than 12 H-1B workers, or (c) at least 51 FTE employees and a number of H-1B workers equal to at least 15% of the employer's FTE employees (including its H-1B workers.) The term "FTE employees" includes part time employees whose combined hours equal the same number of hours per week as a full-time employee. Willful violators include any employer who is found to have committed a willful failure to meet a condition of the LCA or who has made a misrepresentation of a material fact on the LCA. Such willful violators are required to make the additional attestations and be subject to random DOL investigations during the five-year period following the date of the final determination of such violation.

An employer that is subject to the additional attestations is prohibited from displacing any U.S. workers, whether directly or indirectly. The employer must attest that it did not displace and will not displace a United States worker within the period beginning 90 days before and ending 90 days after the date of filing of any petition supported by the LCA.

The attestation also extends to employees of a secondary employer in contractor situations, where there are indicia of an employment relationship between the H-1B worker and such other employer. Indicia of an employment relationship include:

1. The secondary employer has the right to control when, where and how the H-1B worker performs the job (the presence of this indicia would suggest that the relationship between the nonimmigrant and the other secondary employer approaches the relationship which triggers the secondary displacement provision);
2. The secondary employer furnishes the tools, materials, and equipment;
3. The work is performed on the premises of the secondary employer (this indicia alone would not trigger the secondary displacement provision);
4. There is a continuing relationship between the H-1B worker and the secondary employer;
5. The secondary employer has the right to assign additional projects to the H-1B worker;
6. The secondary employer sets the hours of work and the duration of the job;
7. The work performed by the nonimmigrant is part of the regular business;
8. The secondary employer is itself in business; and
9. The secondary employer can discharge the H-1B worker from providing services.

Where the secondary displacement provision applies, the employer must make certain inquiries and/or have certain information concerning the secondary employer's displacement of similarly employed U.S. workers in its workforce. However, even if the required inquiry is made, the employer will still be found liable if the secondary employer has actually displaced similarly employed U.S. workers during the applicable time period.

Under ACWIA, certain H-1B workers are considered exempt. In other words, an H-1B dependent employer will not obliged to meet the additional attestation requirements in the case of these exempt H-1B nonimmigrants. "Exempt H-1B nonimmigrants" include those H-1B workers who: (a) receive wages (including cash bonuses and similar compensation) at an annual rate equal to at least $60,000; or (b) have attained a master's or higher degree (or its equivalent) in a specialty related to the intended employment.

For the purposes of the displacement attestation, the job from which the U.S. worker is laid off must be essentially equivalent to the job for which the H-1B worker is sought. The job of the H-1B worker must involve essentially the same duties and responsibilities as the job from which the U.S. worker was laid off. The comparison focuses on the core elements and competencies for the job, rather than non-essential duties. The job responsibilities must be similar and both workers must be capable of performing those duties. The qualifications and experience of the laid off U.S. worker must also be substantially equivalent to the qualifications of the H-1B worker. Finally, the job of the H-1B worker must also be located in the same area of employment (within normal commuting distance) as the job from which the U.S. worker was laid off.

The employer is required to retain (but not create) all records that it makes or receives concerning the circumstances under which each U.S. worker in the same locality and occupation as the H-1B worker left the employer's employ or was terminated by the employer's action during the relevant period.

The employer is also required to attest that it has engaged in "good faith recruitment" using "industry wide standards." It must, at a minimum, recruit both internally and externally and use both active and passive methods. Active methods include job fairs, using college placement services or headhunters, and internal job training. Passive methods include print and Internet advertising and internal job postings. At least some recruiting should also target former employees.

In order to establish "good faith steps" in the recruitment of U.S. workers, the employer must perform its recruitment so as to offer fair opportunities for employment to U.S. workers, without skewing the recruitment process against U.S. workers in favor of H-1B workers. The employer may not give preference to its current nonimmigrant workers who do not yet have H-1B status (such as students who are working for the employer pursuant to optional practical training.)

The employer must make and maintain documentation of the recruiting methods used, including the dates and places of any advertisements, postings, or other methods used, the content of the advertising or postings, and the compensation terms (if they are not already included in the advertisements or postings.) The employer must also keep any documentation it has received or prepared concerning the treatment of applicants for the position, such as copies of applications and related documents.

Once approved, the LCA must be included with the H-1B petition that is filed with the Immigration and Naturalization Service ("INS"). LCAs are valid for the period of intended employment indicated on the form itself, up to a maximum period of three years.

Increased Filing Fee