H2B Expierence

[NewHorizon's Land]

What have been your experiences with H2B? The good AND the bad. And also the cost versus benefit.

Justin

[Mbella]

Justin, I used to manage the H2B program for a large company and have been using H2B for my own company for a couple of years. In my experience, the pros of H2b are as follows:

1. Workers that want to work (will work as many hours as needed)
2. Workers that show up Every day (most guys won't miss one day all year)
3. Workers are accustomed to doing hard physical work (like we do)
4. Workers that are highly likely to return to your company each year (if you treat them right)
5. Workers are LEGAL
6. They are seasonal and cannot collect unemployment

There are more, but those are the most valuable benefits in my opinion.

The cons:

1. The H2B program itself is unpredictable-Next year, I will not be able to get my workers unless Congress passes legislation.
2. Language barrier (I speak spanish, so for me it isn't)- I have come into contact with hundreds of H2B workers and at most, 5 were able to communicate in english.

With regard to cost, I pay $3500 per year and that entitles me to 10 Visas. So for $3500, I can bring one worker, or 10. After 10, I believe it costs like $135 per worker. Is it worth the $3500? In my opinion, absolutely.

[NewHorizon's Land]

Who do you use for the H2B? Why wont you be able to get your workers back next year? I have heard it cost a lot out of their pocket also. Is this true? Anyone with figures please chime in.

Justin

[Mbella]

Who do you use for the H2B? Why wont you be able to get your workers back next year? I have heard it cost a lot out of their pocket also. Is this true? Anyone with figures please chime in.

Justin

I use a company called Workforce Advantage. They are based in Virginia.

Originally, the government placed a cap on the number of H2B workers that could come each year. Well, soon thereafter they realized that the cap (66,000 visas) was reached rather quickly. In order to help, they passed temporary legislation, which prevented a returning worker from counting against the cap.

The temporary returning worker legislation has expired and without an extension of that legislation, the cap will be reached very quickly and many employers will not get their workers next year.

I just called one of my guys to verify how much he pays. He told me it costs him between $450.00 and $500.00. I know some of the guys get loans in order to pay the fees.

[gary1328]

Mike, Is it true that you have to find housing for them. If so, can you take the housing costs out of their checks?

[Mbella]

Mike, Is it true that you have to find housing for them. If so, can you take the housing costs out of their checks?


Legally, you don't "have" to find housing, but if you don't, they show up with no place to live.

I never took money out of their checks. I have them pay me after they cash their checks.

[NewHorizon's Land]

So basically you pay their rent and then they pay you after they cash the check? Could they do it their self or do you just prefer to do it that way?

[Mbella]

So basically you pay their rent and then they pay you after they cash the check? Could they do it their self or do you just prefer to do it that way?


I did it that way because I had to secure the apartment before they arrived, so the lease was in my name.

[NewHorizon's Land]

Any one else with info on this?

[forestfireguy]

We have done it a few times, one issue we have had is transportation, for one reason or another the guys we had did want to take the nj drivers test so that they could drive. We made it clear to them that if they had their liscences we would have allowed the use of a company vehicle for travel to and from work, shopping and other NECCESARY things, Drs, and such. We have a large migrant worker population about 30 minutes away and there is a health center just for those folks. We also provided housing, we bought a house and charged the guys rent, as a payroll deduction. It worked out very well for us, we charged them enough to cover the note and utilities, which was like 400 per man per month, much cheaper than they would have been able to live otherwise.