H-2A Rule Enforcement Suspended Pending Review and Injunctions

DOL WHD Field Assistance Bulletins

Published June 20th, 2025

Detected February 12th, 2026

Summary

The U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division is suspending enforcement of the 2024 Final Rule concerning temporary agricultural employment protections. This action follows multiple federal court injunctions and is effective immediately.

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What changed

The U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division (WHD) has issued Field Assistance Bulletin No. 2025-2, announcing an immediate suspension of enforcement for the "Improving Protections for Workers in Temporary Agricultural Employment in the United States" Final Rule, published April 29, 2024. This suspension is a direct response to several federal court injunctions that have partially or wholly blocked the rule's enforcement in various states, creating significant legal uncertainty. The bulletin directs WHD staff to revert to enforcement guidance and forms in effect prior to the 2024 Final Rule's effective date of June 28, 2024.

This development means that employers and agricultural firms previously subject to the 2024 Final Rule's provisions, which covered areas such as concerted activity rights, housing access, termination standards, wage disclosures, and employer obligations, will now operate under the previous regulatory framework. While the bulletin itself does not impose new compliance deadlines, regulated entities should be aware that the legal landscape for H-2A program requirements is in flux due to ongoing litigation and regulatory reconsideration. Compliance officers should monitor further developments and ensure adherence to the pre-June 28, 2024, requirements until a definitive resolution is reached.

What to do next

Review Field Assistance Bulletin No. 2025-2 for specific guidance on H-2A program requirements.
Ensure adherence to the regulatory framework and forms in effect prior to June 28, 2024.
Monitor ongoing litigation and regulatory reconsideration of the 2024 Final Rule.

Source document (simplified)

U.S De p ar tme n t of Labor W a ge a nd H our D ivi si on 1 June 2 0, 202 5 Field Assistance Bulletin No. 202 5-2 MEMORANDUM FOR: R e gional Administrators Dist ric t Dire ct ors FR OM: Do nald M. Harriso n, I I I A ctin g A d min is t ra t o r S U BJ EC T: H - 2 A Fa rm wor k e r Pr otection Rule Enforceme nt G ui da nce T his Fie l d As s is t a nc e B ul le t i n pr ovide s e nfor c e m e nt g uida nce t o Wa g e a nd H our D ivis ion (WH D) fie ld s t a f f r e g a r ding t he Fina l R ule e nt it led I mpr oving Pr ot e c t ions for W or ke r s in Te mpor ar y Agr ic ult ur al E m ployme nt in t h e Unit e d S t at e s, pu bl is hed Ap ril 29, 2024 (89 F ed. R eg. 31234), a nd effect iv e J u n e 28, 2024. I n l ig ht of mu ltiple fe de r a l cour t injunc t ions a nd ong oing r eg ula t or y r e c ons ide r a t ion, WH D wil l s us pend e nfor c eme nt of t he 2 02 4 Fin a l R ule as of the ef f ectiv e d at e o f thi s B u l letin. B a c k gr ound T he 2 02 4 Fi na l R ul e a m e nde d s eve r a l r e g ula t ory pr ovi s ions g ove r ni ng t he H - 2A tem p o ra ry agricu l tu ral l ab o r c e r t i fic a t i on prog r a m under t he I mmig r a t ion a nd Na t iona l it y Ac t. A mong ot he r r e vi s ions, t he r ule a ddr e s se d ma t t er s s uc h a s r i g ht s t o e ng a g e i n c onc e r t ed act iv i ty; wo rk er g u es t acc es s t o emp lo y er - provi de d hous ing; t e r m ina t ion s t a nda r ds a nd pr og r es s ive dis c ipl ine; s e a t be lt r e quir e me nt s; w a g e di s c los ur e a nd pa yme nt obliga t ion s; a nd employer dis c los ur e a n d ce rt ifica t ion ob lig a t io ns. Fo llowing it s public a t i on, mult iple fe de r a l c our t s is s ue d pr el im ina ry i njunc t i ons a ffe c t ing enfor c eme nt of t he r ul e in w hole or i n pa r t: • Th e U.S. Dis trict Co u rt f or t h e Sout he r n D i stri c t of G e org i a enj oi ned e nf or c eme nt of the 2 0 24 F in a l R u le in 1 7 St a t e s and w i th re spe c t to c e rtai n e n ti ti e s. Kansas v. U.S. D ep' t of L abor, 749 F. S u p p. 3d 1363 (S. D. G a. 2024). • Th e U.S. Dis trict Co u rt f o r t he E a stern D i stri c t of Ke ntuc ky e njoined ke y provi sions of the 2 0 2 4 Fi na l Rul e in an a ddi ti ona l f our Stat e s and with re sp e ct to c e rtai n e n ti ti e s. B art on v. U.S. Dep ’t of L abor, 757 F. S u p p. 3d 766 (E. D. K y. 2024).

U.S De p ar tme n t of Labor W a ge a nd H our D ivi si on 2 • Th e U. S. Dis trict C ou rt f o r t h e S ou th e rn D is t r ict o f M is s is s ipp i is s u e d a n a t io n w id e s ta y of s p e cif ic p ro v i s i o n s o f t h e 2024 F in al R u le, n a m e ly 20 C. F. R. § § 655. 135(h) (2) a n d (m), w h i ch a d d r e ss c once rte d acti v ity prote cti ons. I nt’ l Fre sh Pr oduc e A ss ’n, e t al. v. U.S. Dep ’t of L abor, e t al., 758 F. Supp. 3 d 5 7 5 (S.D. Mi ss. 2024). • By contrast, the U.S. Dis trict Co u rt f or t h e E as te rn Dis trict o f N orth Ca r oli na uphel d the 2 0 2 4 R ul e. N.C. F ar m Bur e au Fe d’n, Inc. v. U.S. Dep ’ t of L abor, N o. 5:2024 - cv - 527, 2025 WL 129624 (E.D.N.C. M ay 5, 2025). I n re s pons e t o t he i njunc t i ons, t he D e pa r t m e nt ’ s Offi c e of For e i g n La bor C e r t ific a t ion (O FL C) i s s ued g uida nc e r e quir i ng t ha t em ploye r s r e ve r t t o s ubmit t i ng H - 2A job or de r s a nd A pplic a t i ons for T e mpor a r y E mpl oyme nt C er t ifi c a t ion us ing t he for m s in e ffe c t on J une 2 7, 2 02 4, pri or t o t he e f fe c t i ve da t e of t he 2 02 4 Fina l R ule. T he s e mult iple i njunc t i ons ha ve c r e a t ed s ig nifi c a nt l eg a l unc e r t a int y a nd oper a t iona l c ha l le ng es for WH D s t a f f, r e g ula t ed e mpl oye r s, a nd a f fe c t e d w or ke r s. A t empor a r y, na t ionw ide s us pe ns ion of e nfor c e me nt ens ur e s c la r ity a nd c ons is t enc y w hi le exis t ing lit ig a t ion o ver t he le g alit y of the 202 4 Fin a l R u le c ont inue s, a nd t he D e pa r t me n t c ons ide r s fur t he r regul ato ry a c t ion. E nf or c e m ent G ui danc e T he D epa r t m e nt i s c ur r e nt ly e va lua t ing t he 2 0 24 Fina l R ul e a nd cons ide r ing fut ur e r eg ula t or y a c t i ons. T hi s e nfor c e me nt polic y i s int e nde d t o provi de c la ri t y a nd c ons is t e nc y for WH D s t a ff w hile t ha t proc e s s is unde r w a y. E ffe c t ive imm e dia t e ly, WH D w il l s us pe nd e nfor c e m e nt of a ll pr ovi s ions int roduc e d in t he 2 02 4 H - 2A Fina l R ule. Field s t aff s hall: • D is cont inue e nfor c e me nt of the 2024 Fi nal R ule; • Appl y t he ve r s i on of 20 C FR pa r t 6 55, s ubpa r t B, a nd 29 C FR part 501 in eff ect on J une 27, 2024, for pur pos es of a s s e s s ing em ploye r c om plia nce; • R efe r que s t ions a bout s pe c if ic s c e na r i os or le g a l obli g a t i ons t o t he N a t iona l Offic e f or fur t her g uida nce. T his s us pens i on a pplie s unt i l fur t her not ic e or i s s ua nc e of upda t e d e nfor c e m e nt g uida nce. N ot hing i n t hi s FA B limit s W H D ’ s a u t horit y t o enforc e H - 2A r e quir e m e nt s o r p r act i ces i n p l ace bef o re the 2 024 F i n al Rul e too k ef f ec t or t he Fa ir L a bor St a nda r ds A c t, nor doe s it a ffe c t t he D epa r t m e nt ’ s e nfor c e me nt dis c r e t ion unde r ot her a pplic a bl e statu te s o r re gu l ati o n s. The Depart men t r es erves its ri g h t t o exercise its en fo rcemen t a u tho ri ty i n s p ecif i c matt ers explic it ly dee med a ppr opr ia t e by t he A dmi nis t r a t or, or de s ig nee, a s a n a ppr opr i a t e a lloc a t ion of r es our c e s. T he g uida nc e i n t hi s FAB s upe r s e de s a ny c ont r a r y or confl ic t ing g uida nce t o fie ld s t a ff or t he public a ddre s s ing t h i s t opi c.

U.S De p ar tme n t of Labor W a ge a nd H our D ivi si on 3 T his FAB is int ende d s ole l y a s i nt e r na l g uida nc e for D e pa r t me nt pe r s onne l, a nd a s a not ic e t o t he publ ic of WH D’s e nfor c e m e nt pos it i on. I t doe s not c r e a t e a ny le g a lly e nf or c e a bl e r i g ht s or obl ig a t ions a nd doe s not a lt er a ny s ta tu to ry o r reg u l atory req u i re m en ts.