On Dec. 16, 2024, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) published the new 2025 H-2A Adverse Effect Wage Rates (AEWRs) for non-range occupations for field and livestock workers to be effective on either Dec. 16, 2024, or Jan. 1, 2025, depending on the state. This year, the DOL is using a bifurcated wage model due to pending litigation involving the Farmworker Protection Rule. Some federal courts have issued injunctions that only pertain to specific states, therefore DOL cannot enforce certain provisions of the rule, including wage provisions in states that are subject to the injunction. All H-2A employers will be required to adjust H-2A workers and corresponding workers to the new rates upon the effective date for their particular state based on the chart below:
It is important to note that the AEWR applies to not only H-2A workers, but ANY worker performing any of the job duties included in your H-2A order (“Corresponding Workers”).
