San Francisco Snow, New H-2B rules

December 19, 2008

Volume 6, Number 40

Dear Friends,

December in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin is white and about 10 degrees (-12 Celsius); December in Jackson Hole, Wyoming is white and about 5 degrees (-15 Celsius); but here in San Francisco, California December is green, with some grey, and about 50 degrees (10 Celsius) – usually. This week the San Francisco Bay Area changed color as a Canadian storm blew through bringing in cold air and white snow! Children who usually play basketball in t-shirts this time of year were throwing snowballs and building snowmen. Parents who are usually hard at work took the day off to go sledding with the kids who they took out of school. Apparently, for weather-deprived Californians, understanding the look and feel of real snow is an important educational experience.

H-2B Visa Changes
On December 18 the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services submitted its Final Rule changing the requirements of the H-2B visa program. One major change is that neither employers nor recruiters can impose fees on prospective H-2B participants.

For more information please see http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f 6d1a/?vgnextoid=332cef590da4e110VgnVCM1000004718190aRCRD&vgnextchannel=68439 c7755cb9010VgnVCM10000045f3d6a1RCRD