On September 30, 2023, President Joe Biden signed into law stopgap funding legislation that temporarily averted a government shutdown. The legislation, which passed the U.S. Congress with bipartisan support and extended...more
If Congress does not pass appropriations legislation or a stopgap spending bill by September 30, 2023, the federal government will experience a shutdown on October 1, 2023. A federal government shutdown will disrupt certain...more
Employers in the automotive industry should be aware of the impact the United Auto Workers strike could have on its employees with immigration considerations. A federal government shutdown is also likely, which could impact...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: If Congress cannot resolve funding issues by 11:59 pm EST on September 30, 2023, resulting in a federal government shutdown, it will have a ripple effect on employers, both large and small, with an impact...more
Annually, at the outset of the federal fiscal year, the U.S. Congress must reach an agreement to fund the federal government. If Congress cannot agree and pass the necessary appropriations bill, a partial government shutdown...more
Equal Pay Transparency (EPT) laws have been passed in several states and localities, potentially impacting the permanent employment certification (PERM)/H-1B labor condition application (LCA) process for employers conducting...more
According to a new report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, approximately 34 percent of private-sector employers expanded remote-work options for workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, and about 60 percent of those...more
Sponsoring foreign talent is a worthwhile venture for any employer who wishes to remain competitive, both domestically and internationally. This is particularly true for highly skilled positions for which demand outpaces...more
The Department of Labor (DOL) has further postponed the effective date of its prevailing wage final rule to November 14, 2022. The final rule significantly increases prevailing wage requirements for permanent resident and...more
On February 1, 2021, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) formally proposed delaying the implementation of its final rule, entitled “Strengthening Wage Protections for the Temporary and Permanent Employment of Certain Aliens in...more
On January 12, 2021, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced an updated final rule designed to increase prevailing wages required for certain visa processes. The updated rule, entitled “Strengthening Wage Protections for...more
Effective June 30, 2021, the US Department of Labor will determine the prevailing wage for permanent labor certifications and labor condition applications based on a new formula for computing prevailing wage levels, resulting...more
The U.S. Department of Labor has announced that it plans to comply with a new U.S. district court order ruling that the agency violated the Administrative Procedure Act by failing to engage in the proper rule-making process...more
On October 8, 2020, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) published the “Strengthening Wage Protections for the Temporary and Permanent Employment of Certain Aliens in the United States”interim final rule, amending the existing...more
President Trump’s Buy American, Hire American Executive Order encouraged the United States Department of Labor (DOL) and the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to propose new rules and guidance that will...more
In its continuing effort to limit legal immigration, the Trump Administration announced two rule changes last week to radically limit H-1Bs and the most common employment-based permanent residence process. The first rule...more
The Trump administration published two new regulations on October 8, 2020, that make significant changes to the H-1B visa rules and to the prevailing wage requirements for PERM labor certification applications as well as...more
In the last few months, it has been difficult for employers and immigration attorneys to keep up with the flurry of changes released by the Trump Administration, including the suspension on the issuance of H-1B visas at U.S....more
Seyfarth Synopsis: On March 20, 2020, the U.S. Department of Labor’s (“DOL”) Office of Foreign Labor Certification (“OFLC”) issued Frequently Asked Questions in response to the COVID-19 global pandemic, providing guidance and...more
Department of State Suspends Routine Visa Services - On March 20, 2020, in response to significant worldwide challenges related to the novel coronavirus (“COVID-19”) pandemic, the Department of State announced that routine...more
With the increasing reliance of U.S. employers on high-skilled foreign workers, particularly those on H-1B visas, it is important that employers remain aware of the makeup of their workforce and the additional obligations...more
On June 10, 2019 the Department of Labor (DOL) will implement their new system for Applications for Prevailing Wage Determinations (Form ETA-9141). The DOL has developed the Foreign Labor Application Gateway (FLAG) System as...more
Partial Federal Government Shutdown and How It Applies to an Immigration Workforce - On December 22, 2018, the United States government began its shutdown based on the inability of the Executive Office and Congress to...more
As of 4 pm on Friday, January 19, 2018, the US Senate had not reached an agreement on the terms of a continuing resolution to keep the US government running. The US House passed a 30-day resolution on Thursday, but this must...more
After a brief federal government shutdown over the weekend, the Senate and the House voted on January 22, 2018, on a temporary spending bill that will fund the government until February 8, 2018. The President signed the bill...more