Justice Department Settles with H-2A Provider

The department says the Mississippi-based company unlawfully favored H-2A visa holders over U.S. workers for ag employment.

Field workers harvesting strawberries
Field workers harvesting strawberries.
(Photo: F Armstrong, Adobe Stock )

The Justice Department says H2A Complete II Inc., a Mississippi company, settled with the department to address evidence that the company violated the Immigration and Nationality Act. The Department of Justice says H2A Complete II unfairly tipped the scales to hire H-2A visa holders over U.S. workers for agricultural employment opportunities.

The department says this settlement is the second since it re-launched its Protecting U.S. Workers Initiative, which targets, investigates and brings enforcement actions against employers that intentionally discriminate against U.S. workers due to a preference for temporary visa workers.

Under the settlement, the Department of Justice says H2A Complete II will pay $25,000 in civil penalties to the U.S., undergo training, revise its employment policies, and not include excessive experience requirements in job postings that unlawfully aim at excluding U.S. workers from employment opportunities.

“American workers seeking jobs in their own country deserve priority,” says Attorney General Pamela Bondi in a news release. “This Department of Justice will continue to protect our country’s workers from unlawful discrimination in favor of foreign nationals.”

The Packer logo (567x120)
Related Stories
Leading agricultural economists warn that escalating wages and chronic labor shortages are forcing a dramatic shift in how fruits and vegetables make it to grocery shelves.
The Securing Agriculture’s Workforce Act promises to expand visa access and tackle unprecedented agricultural labor shortages.
A combination of rising foreign imports and a domestic labor crisis is squeezing Southeast produce growers, creating what industry leaders call a direct threat to U.S. food security.
Read Next
Driven by surging consumer demand for local produce, retailers and state agricultural branding programs are expanding initiatives to keep homegrown produce front and center for shoppers.
Get Daily News
GET MARKET ALERTS
Get News & Markets App