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The Board of Alien Labor Certification Appeals (BALCA) overturned the decision of a Certifying Officer (CO) to deny Labor Certification.

After obtaining & examining an Employer’s Application for Permanent Labor Certification, the CO issued an Audit notification ordering the Employer to submit a copy of the Prevailing Wage Determination (PWD) received from the State Workforce Agency (SWA) along with a copy of the request for the determination. The Employer replied to the Audit by providing a copy of the PWD issued from the Pennsylvania Bureau of Workforce Development Partnership. It did not contain a copy of its original request for a prevailing wage as submitted to the Pennsylvania SWA.

The CO denied labor certification citing the Employer’s failure to provide the request for the PWD in a timely manner. He referred to PERM Regulation 20 C.F.R. § 656.20(b) as his reason for denial. PERM Regulation 656.20(b) declares, “A substantial failure by the employer to provide required documentation will result in that application being denied.”

The Board of Alien Labor Certification Appeals (BALCA) recently overturned the decision of a Certifying Officer (CO) to deny labor certification for the position of “Support Engineer”.

After receiving & reviewing an Employer’s Application for Permanent Labor Certification, the CO issued an Audit notification directing the Employer to present its recruitment records. In the Notice of Filing (NOF), the Employer lists the position “requires a BA/BS or MA/MS degree or equivalent in Computer Science, Engineering, Physics, Math, Information Systems, Business or related field; Team Manager Positions are available.” The Washington State Workforce Agency (SWA) job order stated “qualifications may include a MA/MS degree or equivalent or a BA/BS degree or equivalent in Computer Science, Engineering, Math, Physics, Information Systems, Business or related field; Multiple positions available.”

The Employer complied with the Audit request and ultimately the CO denied certification of the application. The position communicated in its NOF and SWA did not match the one listed on the Employer’s ETA Form 9089 in violation of PERM Regulation 20 C.F.R. § 656.17 (f)(6). On the Employer’s NOF and SWA, it listed a Master’s degree that surpassed the requirements recorded on the ETA Form.