Government Affairs: The landscape industry needs more than 45,000 H-2B visas

Gregg RobertsonNov 3, 2023

As expected, the annual statutory cap of 66,000 H-2B visas for the federal fiscal year 2019-2020 was reached on Feb. 18. This means that all for H-2B visas received after that date for a start date before Oct. 1 will be rejected by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service. The statutory cap was reached at […]

Government Affairs: H-2B efforts turn toward Homeland Security acting secretary

Gregg RobertsonNov 9, 2023

Last December, Congress approved an additional 65,000 H-2B visas above the statutory limit of 66,000, subject, however, to the approval of the secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. H-2B advocates are now turning their efforts to convince acting secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf to release the full complement of visas authorized by Congress. […]

Minimum wage rose in 21 states, 26 counties and cities Jan. 1

Gregg RobertsonNov 3, 2023

Landscape contractors in 21 states and 26 counties and cities will see the hourly wage that they must pay their workers rise as of Jan. 1 of this year. In addition, four states and 23 local governments will increase their minimum wages sometime in 2020 after Jan. 1. With federal efforts to raise the minimum […]

Researchers hope new shot will prevent Lyme disease

Gregg RobertsonNov 3, 2023

As an occupation, landscape contracting employees run one of the highest risks for getting Lyme disease. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) identifies landscape workers as being among the 10 highest risk occupations due to their work in and around prime deer tick habitats. Help may be on the Way Recently, scientists […]

Put these 2 issues on your radar

Gregg RobertsonNov 3, 2023

Two issues that should be on your radar screen are the H-2B fly-in in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 13 and the new federal overtime rules that will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2020. H-2B Fly-In Nov. 13 Last federal fiscal year, 30,000 additional H-2B visas were made available under language in the Department of […]

E-Verify may be coming to your state soon

Gregg RobertsonNov 3, 2023

The controversial federal E-Verify system may already be required for landscape contractors in your state. If not, it may be coming soon. E-Verify is a federal, web-based electronic system that verifies the eligibility of an employee to work in the United States. Operated by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the system verifies the identity […]

Government Affairs: We’ve made progress, but work-related injuries still too high

Gregg RobertsonNov 3, 2023

In the early 2000s, the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) developed a list of seven target industries on which to concentrate its compliance and enforcement efforts. At the top of that list were landscape contractors. OSHA chose these seven target industries based upon their high incidence of severe work-related injuries and workdays lost […]

Government Affairs: Stay up to date on immigration law

Gregg RobertsonNov 3, 2023

President Trump has made immigration enforcement the centerpiece of his administration. This enforcement thrust has increased the pressure on the landscape contracting industry to be vigilant in following federal rules regarding employee work authorization documentation. The landscape contracting industry has one of the highest proportions of unauthorized foreign workers in its workforce at 21 percent […]

Government Affairs: EPA cancels registrations of 12 neonic pesticides

Gregg RobertsonNov 3, 2023

On May 20, 2019, the EPA published notice in the Federal Register canceling the registrations of twelve neonicotinoid-containing pesticides (neonics).

Government Affairs: EPA reaffirms safety of glyphosate, environmental groups disagree, controversy continues

Gregg RobertsonNov 3, 2023

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued an interim decision on the herbicide glyphosate. They have received pushback from environmental groups.

Government Affairs: Are you ready for the new federal overtime rule?

Gregg RobertsonNov 3, 2023

On March 7, the Department of Labor (DOL) proposed regulations concerning the much-anticipated revised threshold for workers exempt from overtime pay. The rule proposes to raise the minimum salary threshold for employees exempt from overtime pay to $679 per week ($35,308 annually) from the current $455 per week ($23,660 annually), an increase just shy of […]

Government Affairs: Is H-2B reform stuck in a time loop?

Gregg RobertsonNov 3, 2023

For those of you who have seen the Bill Murray classic movie, “Groundhog Day,” the H-2B saga seems reminiscent. As part of the deal to end the partial shutdown of the federal government, H-2B advocates in Washington secured language in the bipartisan compromise appropriations bill to allow the secretary of homeland security, in consultation with […]

Government Affairs: Status checks on H-2B and new pesticide rules

Gregg RobertsonNov 3, 2023

Rolling the H-2B stone up the Hill again After a 35-day partial government shutdown, Congress passed a temporary three-week spending bill without — you guessed it — H-2B reform language. It was a long shot that H-2B would be included in the temporary spending bill, but advocates for the program, including AmericanHort and the National […]

Government Affairs: H-2B reforms fall victim to border wall fight, but brighter days ahead?

Gregg RobertsonNov 3, 2023

A tentative agreement to double the number of H-2B visas and implement other reforms to the guest worker program did not move forward in December, as hoped, with critical federal budget bills. The package of H-2B reforms was slated to be included with a bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which has […]