On May 20, 2016, the Employment and Training Administration (ETA) of the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued a notice announcing it had revised the H-2A Appendix A form which eliminates the requirement for the employer and agent to obtain the “wet signature” on their special blue paper. 

Since this requirement was imposed several years ago, it has added days of delay to an H-2A process already fraught with delay. WG staff and select Board Members have asked DOL for the elimination of the requirement in an effort to achieve reasonable streamlining of the H-2A program. We are pleased that the department heard us and acted on our request. This will easily shave a few days off the process or the expense of same day air travel to get the form signed.

We will continue to press the three federal processing agencies with requests that will improve the efficiency and handling of H-2A applications by our members.

See our PRESS RELEASE on other recently announced efficiencies by processing agencies and our most recent Spotlight story on this topic. For a breakdown of WG H-2A activity, check out: Western Growers’ Leadership in H-2A document.

For more information, please contact Jason Resnick at (949) 885-2253.