1. H-2A Bill Implementation Update
Employment Security Advisory Committee Meeting
Dan Zeitlin Director of Employment System Policy
Employment Security Department
July 22, 2019

2. Agenda Bill Overview Update: Advisory Committee
Update: Office of Agriculture and Seasonal Workforce Services (ASWS)
Questions

3. Bill Overview Key Dates May 21, 2019: SB5438 Signed Into Law
July 1, 2019: Funding Available
July 28, 2019: Effective Date
October 31, 2020: Advisory Committee Report Due

4. Bill Overview
Goals
Address insufficient federal funding to adequately ensure the protection of workers and growers.
Ensure H-2A growth does not have an adverse impact on the domestic agricultural labor force.
Clarify the state’s role in the H-2A program to provide adequate protections for foreign and domestic workers and provide education and outreach opportunities to help growers maintain the stable workforce they need.

5. Bill Overview
Office of Agriculture and Seasonal Workforce Services (ASWS)
Process and adjudicate applications.
Process complaints.
Conduct field checks and field visits.
Administer discontinuation and reinstatement of services.
Conduct training and outreach activities.

6. Bill Overview
Agriculture and Seasonal Workforce Services Advisory Committee
Comment on department rulemaking, policies, and implementation of the bill, as well as study issues it determines require consideration.
Identify and recommend approaches to increase recruitment and hiring of domestic workers.
Analyze cost incurred to administer H-2A program.
Report due in even years.

7. Update: Advisory Committee
Committee Worker Representatives
Michele Besso, Attorney, Northwest Justice Project
Rosalinda Guillen, Executive Director, Community to Community
Eric Nicholson, Vice-President, United Farm Workers
Ramon Torres (Farmworker), President, Familias Unidas por la Justicia (FUJ)

8. Update: Advisory Committee
Committee Employer Representatives
Jon Devaney, President, Washington State Tree Fruit Association
Michael Gempler, Executive Director, Washington Growers League
Delia Pena, Director of Orchard HR and H-2A, Zirkle Fruit Company
Rosella Mosby (Employer), Owner Operator, Mosby Farms

9. Update: Advisory Committee
Key Items
First meeting on August 26, 2019 in Olympia.
Subject to Open Public Meetings Act.
Will approve charter, bylaws and schedule/location for meetings through October 31, 2020.

10. Update: ASWS Structure 14 FTE funded Director Administrative Support
Program Coordinators (Process H-2A and H-2B Applications)
Field Specialists
Policy Staff
Wage Survey Staff in Different Unit

11. Update: ASWS Director Opportunity
Build new office to provide adequate protections for workers and help growers maintain the stable workforce they need.
Oversee ESD role in H-2A and H-2B programs.
Establish and model a high performance work environment.
Build, develop and maintain strong collaborative relationships with stakeholders.

12. H-2A Bill Implementation
Questions?