Provisions in the new omnibus spending bill legislate, among other items, that returning H2B workers will no longer be counted as part of the annual cap of 66,000 workers allowed into the country, private wage surveys can be used to help determine fair wages, and a season is now defined as 10 months instead of nine.

On Dec. 18, President Obama signed the the omnibus spending bill, which includes numerous provisions that will ease the burdens placed on employers who rely on the H2B program for seasonal employees.

Among the beneficial changes to H2B, returning workers will now be exempt from the annual cap of 66,000 workers allowed into the country; private wage surveys can be used to help determine fair wages; seasonal is now defined as 10 months instead of nine, and the Department of Labor is prevented from implementing some rules that many employers felt handcuffed their efforts to effectively use the H2B program.

Green industry associations including the National Association of Landscape Professionals and AmericanHort asked members to thank their senators and representatives that supported the passage of the bill's H2B provisions, often facing criticism from anti-immigration and labor groups. According to NALP, congressional members can be reached through the capitol switchboard at 202-225-3121. AmericaHort provided this link to help in the sending of messages to legislators. https://www.votervoice.net/BroadcastLinks/IP27E_cod6sOgCAff7P6QA