Laws and Regulations

The following two final rules affect the Wagner-Peyser Act Employment Service (ES), including ES services that State Workforce Agencies (SWAs) provide to migrant and seasonal farmworkers (MSFW).

• Improving Protections for Workers in Temporary Agricultural Employment in the United States Final Rule (“Farmworker Protection Rule”), 89 FR 33898, April 29, 2024. This final rule revises the ES regulations at 20 CFR parts 651, 653, and 658, which relate to the Agricultural Recruitment System and the situations where SWAs discontinue providing ES services to employers. States and employers must comply with the ES-related changes in this final rule on the effective date, which is June 28, 2024. For more information, see Training and Employment Notice No. 27-23 and the Department’ s Farmworker Protection Final Rule webpage.
• Wagner-Peyser Act Staffing Final Rule, 88 FR 82658, November 24, 2023. The final rule requires states to use state merit staff to provide ES services, including ES services to MSFWs. The final rule also makes changes to 20 CFR parts 651, 652, 653, 654, and 658 to strengthen ES services that states provide to MSFWs and to enhance worker protections. For more information, see Training and Employment Notice No. 10-23 and a webcast on WorkforceGPS, which provide a summary of the changes.