Navigating the Four Levels of Prevailing Wage

1. Navigating the Four Levels of Prevailing Wage Suzanne Seltzer Klasko Rulon Stock & Seltzer Jeanne Kelley Boston University

2. Why Now? Effective January 1, 2010 • Prevailing wage determinations (PWD) will be go to the Department of Labor’s (DOL) National Processing Center (NPC) • NEW prevailing wage Form ETA 9141 • State Workforce Agencies (SWA) will no longer be involved in PWD

3. Why Now? iCERT Portal • Web-based user account for both LCA & PERM filings • Improve accessibility for employer and attorney while maintaining security • Allows for prevailing wage searches • All DOL related processes centralized

4. Institutional Policy Considerations • Should your institution always request a SWA wage? • Will these changes effect policy decisions? • How should you determine minimum requirements consistently? • Challenging erroneous SWA determinations • Communicating with hiring departments

5. Prevailing Wage Lingo • Standard Occupational Classification – Occupational Information Network (SOC-O*NET or O*NET for short) • Specific Vocational Preparation (SVP) (used under the old Dictionary of Occupational Titles) • Job Zones (used under the current O*NET system)

6. What it Means…Why it is Important SOC-O*NET • System of coding/classifying jobs by skills, knowledge and work activities. • For prevailing wage determinations - (PWD) - provides the “quantitative parameters” to determine the appropriate wage level through the SVP and job zone standards.

7. What it Means…Why it is Important SVP/Job Zone • Range of time needed to learn techniques/skills for average performance of a specific occupation • In PWD, wage level is assigned based on where the employer’s education and experience requirements fit within this quantitative parameter

8. Corresponding SVP & Job Zones • Job Zone One: Occupations that require ‘little’ preparation • How much prep? SVP Range: Below 4.0; under 6 months experience • “Normal to the occupation” maximum: no education, 5 months & 29 days experience

9. Corresponding SVP & Job Zones • Job Zone Two: Occupations require ‘some’ preparation • ‘Some’ prep = SVP Range 4.0 < 6.0 over 3 months, up to 1 year • Normal to the Occupation no degree; 1 year experience

10. Corresponding SVP & Job Zones • Job Zone Three: Occupations require ‘medium’ prep • ‘Medium’ Prep = SVP Range 6.0 < 7.0 over 1 year, up to 2 years • Normal to the Occupation (max) no degree, 2 Years Experience

11. Corresponding SVP & Job Zones • Job Zone Four: Requires ‘considerable’ prep • ‘Considerable’ = SVP Range 7.0 < 8.0 over 2 years, up to 4 years • Normal to the Occupation (max) Bachelors + 2 years, or 4 years experience

12. Why? Because the degree constitutes part of the prep time under SVP: Bachelor’s Degree = 2 years prep Master’s Degree = 4 years prep Ph.D. = 7 years prep

13. Corresponding SVP & Job Zones • Job Zone Five: Requires ‘extensive’ prep • ‘Extensive’ = SVP Range 8.0 + Over 4 years and up • Normal to the Occupation degree plus substantial experience

14. What is Appendix D • Professional Occupations and Training Categories • Lists the “usual education” required for prevailing wage purposes • If degree required is above the “usual education,” a higher wage level would be required

15. What Are the Four Levels? LEVEL 1 • Entry/beginning level • Routine tasks, limited exercise of judgment • “Under close Supervision” • Bottom of SVP Range • Consider: Is degree required consistent with degree on Appendix D

16. What Are the Four Levels? LEVEL 2 • “Qualified” • Moderately Complex Tasks, requiring limited judgment • Consider: where does experience & education fall within Job Zone/SVP range

17. What Are the Four Levels? LEVEL 3 • Experienced • Exercise Judgment • Coordinate Activities of Staff • More extensive experience is required • Consider: Any special skills, supervisory responsibilities required?

18. What Are the Four Levels? LEVEL 4 • Plan & Conduct Work • Advanced skills and diversified knowledge • Management &/or Supervisory • Consider: does required education and experience go beyond Job Zone/SVP range?

19. Determining the Prevailing Wage • STEP 1: List Job Offer Requirements • STEP 2: Compare Job Offer Experience requirements with Job Zone/SVP Range • At low end of range, add 1 level • At high end of range, add 2 levels • Outside the range, add 3 levels

20. Determining the Prevailing Wage • STEP 3: Compare Job Offer Educational Requirements with DOL Appendix • Add a level for each level of education higher than the “usual” degree • STEPS 4 – 6: Any special skills, licensure/certification, or supervisory duties? If yes, add a level

21. Let’s Test This Out!

26. Post-doc Research Associate Microbiologist 19-1021 Job Zone 5 Ph.D. 0 0 0 Appendix A Code 2 Ph.D. Ph.D. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

30. Statistical Programmer Statistician 15-2041 Master’s degree + 4 years experience Job Zone 5 Over 4 years 4 years 0 Code 3 --- Masters Masters 0 Considered a special skill? Statistical Data Analysis in research setting 1 0 2

34. Assistant Clinical Professor Health Spec. Teachers, Post-Sec. 25-1071 MD or equiv. + 3 yrs Rad. Trng., 1 yr Fellowship Job Zone 5 0 0 0 Doctoral degree M.D. 0 MA License + 4 yrs trng License normal to entry level 1 No 0 -- 2

38. Assistant Professor Surgeon 29-1067 MD or equiv. + 5 yrs Res. 2 yrs Fellow. Job Zone 5 0 0 0 M.D. M.D. 0 MA License + 7 yrs trng 1 “Normal” 0 0 0 2 But, SWA found level 4

40. Helpful Weblinks: • OES Prevailing Wage Guidance/Worksheet www.foreignlaborcert.doleta.gov/pdf/Policy_Nonag_Progs.pdf • iCERT portal www.icert.doleta.gov/ • NAFSA iCERT guidance www.nafsa.org/regulatory_information.sec/the_icert_portal_system

41. Questions?