Work Force Research

In December Lawn & Landscape conducted a study on H-2B participation and efforts to recruit locally. Here are some of the results:

H-2B Expectations

Of companies who applied to get H-2B workers during the first half of the fiscal year (October-March):

17% expected to receive all the workers they applied for.

41% expected to receive some but not all of the workers they applied for AND/OR expected workers to arrive late.

41% did not expect to receive any of the workers they applied for.

Of companies who applied to get H-2B workers during the second half of the fiscal year (April-September):

27% expected to receive all the workers they applied for.

58% expected to receive some but not all of the workers they applied for AND/OR expected workers to arrive late.

15% did not expect to receive any of the workers they applied for.

*Percentages may not equal 100 due to rounding

H-2B Repercussions

The study shows the following actions H-2B users will take if they are unable to bring in the workers they planned for:

• 52% of companies will not purchase equipment/trucks they planned to buy in 2008
• 50% of companies will recruit employees from their competitors
• 43% of companies will cancel contracts, refuse business or otherwise stifle growth
• 36% of companies will raise wage/increase other benefit to better attract seasonal workers
• 29% of companies will hire workers with potentially fraudulent documents
• 29% of companies indicated “other,” including “lay-off some permanent management level employees,” “sell the company and try a different business,” “I just don’t know what I will do,” “not sure yet,” “recruit from other sources,” “current staff will work longer hours to cover work”
   

Reasons for Not Using the H-2B Program

Of companies that don’t use the H-2B program:

2% tried the program before, but weren’t please with the results

26% were unaware of the program

18% have year-round, not seasonal, labor needs

29% perceive the program to be too bureaucratic, complicated or costly

22% prefer to hire only American workers, even if it stifles growth

22% indicated “other,” including variations of “language barrier,” “we’re not big enough,” “we only hire legal workers,” “local labor is satisfactory,” “would hurt business in my area,” “we hire trained, skilled employees,” “I don’t have any employees,” “we hope to use the program this year”

Turn Over Rate

51% is the average percent of a contractor’s seasonal work force that returns from year to year.

Recruiting Local Workers

When asked, “What’s the primary way you recruit American seasonal workers?” contractors said:

Referrals/word-of-mouth                      61%

Newspaper/magazine classified ads       15%

Online ads (career Web sites)               10%

Other*                                                 10%

Temp agencies                                      2%

Job fairs                                               1%

Your company’s Web site                    <1%

*Responses for “other” included walk ins, signs, family and we don’t hire seasonal workers      

When asked, “What groups do you target to staff your seasonal work force?” contractors said:

Temp agency workers                                                  18%

Retirees                                                                       11%

Firefighters                                                                   3%

College/high school students                                         66%

Leads from county/government agencies                        9%

Other*                                                                         30%

*Includes: “family,” “anyone,” “farm workers,” “help wanted ads,” “interns,” “employee referrals,” “folks between jobs,” “members of the local Hispanic community,” “I don’t have any employees,” “ex-auto employees,” “teachers,” “no seasonal workers”