H-2A Program

Agricultural Recruitment Program (H-2A Program)

The H-2A temporary agricultural program allows agricultural employers who anticipate a shortage of domestic workers to bring nonimmigrant foreign workers to the United States to perform agricultural labor or services of a temporary or seasonal nature. Employment of a seasonal nature is tied to a certain time of year by an event or pattern, such as a short annual growing cycle, and requires labor levels above what is necessary for ongoing operations.

Agricultural employers can receive assistance in obtaining farm workers through the H-2A program. Employers must show that there are no local workers available for the job. Applications are reviewed to determine whether prevailing hourly wages, working conditions, and housing and transportation arrangements have an adverse effect on domestic workers.

More Information

Information about how and when to apply for H-2A workers may be found on the H-2A Temporary Agricultural Program page on the U.S. Department of Labor website.

The Department Provides These Services to Agricultural Employers:

• Post agricultural clearance orders
• Housing inspection for agricultural clearance orders
• Agricultural wage information
• Technical assistance on federal and state regulations governing housing inspections
• Opportunity for participation in the Workforce Employer Outreach Committee

Workplace Regulations

Employers are required by law to share information with their employees on employment laws and provide other work-related information. They should be posted in a prominent place where employees have access such as a break room or time-clock area.

Required State Posters  for Tennessee Employers

• TOSHA Safety and Health Poster Revised March 2016
• TN Unemployment Insurance Poster Revised September 2024
• Wage Regulation/Child Labor Poster Revised May 2024
• Workers' Compensation Posting Notice (Korean) Revised April 2018

Required Federal Posters (USDOL)

• Federal Posters (New USERRA poster now online)
• Minimum Wage Poster

If You Have Spanish-Speaking Employees or Child Labor

• TOSHA Safety and Health Poster (Spanish) Revised April 2017
• TN Unemployment Insurance Poster (Spanish) Revised April 2017
• Wage Regulation/Child Labor Poster (Spanish) Revised May 2024
• Workers' Compensation Posting Notice (Spanish) Revised April 2018

Other Posters

• Human Trafficking Poster from the TN Bureau of Investigation (Bulgarian, French, Russian)
• Right to Work Poster Revised June 2012
• Drug Free Workplace (apply before posting)
• Fraud Free Workplace

Filing a Complaint

Individuals, employers, organizations, associations, and other entities can file complaints through American Job Centers about:

• Employment Services provided by a State Workforce Agency or Employment Service office (one-stop center or American Job Center), or
• Employers involving employment-related laws.

Learn more on how to file a complaint on the U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration Resources page.