# California Judge Orders DOL to Revise H-2A Rates

A California judge ordered the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) to issue new wage rates for H-2A seasonal farmworkers by Dec. 30, after finding the administration’s previous wage-rate overhaul unlawful. The signal does not specify the year for the deadline. Agricultural employers and contractors whose work depends on H-2A labor may need to revisit labor-cost assumptions as DOL develops the replacement rates.

- Employers and contractors should reassess H-2A labor budgets when the new rates and methodology are issued; the source provides no rate amounts or methodology details.
- The order may affect cost planning for agricultural procurements and contractor pricing that relies on seasonal farm labor.

**Jurisdictions:** federal
**Topics:** Regulatory Compliance
**Published:** October 05, 2026

### Government Entities
- U.S. Department of Labor (DOL)