(a) COs. The Administrator, OFLC is the Department's National CO. The Administrator, OFLC, and the CO(s) in the NPC(s) (by virtue of delegation from the Administrator, OFLC), have the authority to certify or deny applications for temporary employment certification under the H-2A nonimmigrant classification. If the Administrator, OFLC has directed that certain types of temporary labor certification applications or specific applications under the H-2A nonimmigrant classification be handled by the National OFLC, the Director(s) of the NPC(s) will refer such applications to the Administrator, OFLC.

(b) Determination. No later than 30 calendar days before the date of need, as identified in the Application for Temporary Employment Certification, except as provided for under §655.107(c) for modified applications, or applications not otherwise meeting certification criteria by that date, the CO will make a determination either to grant or deny the Application for Temporary Employment Certification. The CO will grant the application if and only if: the employer has met the requirements of this subpart, including the criteria for certification set forth in §655.107(a), and thus the employment of the H-2A workers will not adversely affect the wages and working conditions of similarly employed U.S. workers.

(c) Notification. The CO will notify the employer in writing (either electronically or by mail) of the labor certification determination.

(d) Approved certification. If temporary labor certification is granted, the CO must send the certified Application for Temporary Employment Certification and a Final Determination letter to the employer, or, if appropriate, to the employer's agent or attorney. The Final Determination letter will notify the employer to file the certified application and any other documentation required by USCIS with the appropriate USCIS office and to continue to cooperate with the SWA by accepting all referrals of eligible U.S. workers who apply (or on whose behalf an application is made) for the job opportunity until the end of the recruitment period as set forth in §655.102(f)(3). However, the employer will not be required to accept referrals of eligible U.S. workers once it has hired or extended employment offers to eligible U.S. workers equal to the number of H-2A workers sought.

(e) Denied certification. If temporary labor certification is denied, the Final Determination letter will be sent to the employer by means normally assuring next-day delivery. The Final Determination Letter will:

(1) State the reasons certification is denied, citing the relevant regulatory standards and/or special procedures;

(2) If applicable, address the availability of U.S. workers in the occupation as well as the prevailing benefits, wages, and working conditions of similarly employed U.S. workers in the occupation and/or any applicable special procedures;

(3) Offer the applicant an opportunity to request an expedited administrative review, or a de novo administrative hearing before an ALJ, of the denial. The notice must state that in order to obtain such a review or hearing, the employer, within 7 calendar days of the date of the notice, must file by facsimile (fax), telegram, or other means normally assuring next day delivery, a written request to the Chief Administrative Law Judge of DOL (giving the address) and simultaneously serve a copy on the CO. The notice will also state that the employer may submit any legal arguments which the employer believes will rebut the basis of the CO's action; and

(4) State that if the employer does not request an expedited administrative judicial review or a de novo hearing before an ALJ within the 7 calendar days, the denial is final and the Department will not further consider that application for temporary alien agricultural labor certification.

(f) Partial certification. The CO may, to ensure compliance with all regulatory requirements, issue a partial certification, reducing either the period of need or the number of H-2A workers being requested or both for certification, based upon information the CO receives in the course of processing the temporary labor certification application, an audit, or otherwise. The number of workers certified shall be reduced by one for each referred U.S. worker who is qualified, able, available and willing. If a partial labor certification is issued, the Final Determination letter will:

(1) State the reasons for which either the period of need and/or the number of H-2A workers requested has been reduced, citing the relevant regulatory standards and/or special procedures;

(2) If applicable, address the availability of U.S. workers in the occupation;

(3) Offer the applicant an opportunity to request an expedited administrative review, or a de novo administrative hearing before an ALJ, of the decision. The notice will state that in order to obtain such a review or hearing, the employer, within 7 calendar days of the date of the notice, will file by facsimile or other means normally assuring next day delivery a written request to the Chief Administrative Law Judge of DOL (giving the address) and simultaneously serve a copy on the CO. The notice will also state that the employer may submit any legal arguments which the employer believes will rebut the basis of the CO's action; and

(4) State that if the employer does not request an expedited administrative judicial review or a de novo hearing before an ALJ within the 7 calendar days, the denial is final and the Department will not further consider that application for temporary alien agricultural labor certification.

(g) Appeal procedures. If the employer timely requests an expedited administrative review or de novo hearing before an ALJ under paragraph (e)(3) or (f)(3) of this section, the procedures at §655.115 will be followed.

(h) Payment of processing fees. A determination by the CO to grant an Application for Temporary Employment Certification in whole or in part under paragraph (d) or (f) of this section will include a bill for the required fees. Each employer of H-2A workers under the Application for Temporary Employment Certification (except joint employer associations, which shall not be assessed a fee in addition to the fees assessed to the members of the association) must pay in a timely manner a non-refundable fee upon issuance of the certification granting the application (in whole or in part), as follows:

(1) Amount. The application fee for each employer receiving a temporary agricultural labor certification is $100 plus $10 for each H-2A worker certified under the Application for Temporary Employment Certification, provided that the fee to an employer for each temporary agricultural labor certification received will be no greater than $1,000. There is no additional fee to the association filing the application. The fees must be paid by check or money order made payable to “United States Department of Labor.” In the case of H-2A employers that are members of an agricultural association acting as a joint employer applying on their behalf, the aggregate fees for all employers of H-2A workers under the application must be paid by one check or money order.

(2) Timeliness. Fees received by the CO no more than 30 days after the date the temporary labor certification is granted will be considered timely. Non-payment of fees by the date that is 30 days after the issuance of the certification will be considered a substantial program violation and subject to the procedures in §655.115.