Prevailing Wage in the H-2A program refers to the wage rate determined by the State Workforce Agency (SWA) to be common in a specific geographic area for a particular crop or agricultural activity. This wage is established through state-based wage surveys and is intended to ensure that H-2A workers are paid comparably to domestic workers, preventing the depression of local wage standards. Employers must pay the highest of the prevailing wage, the Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR), the federal or state minimum wage, or any collectively bargained wage rate. The prevailing wage ensures that hiring foreign guest workers does not adversely affect the wages of similarly employed U.S. workers.
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