COVID-19/Coronavirus, Employment Law, Immigration

USCIS to Consider Second Period of Satisfactory Departure

April 23, 2020

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U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recently announced that it will consider granting a second 30-day period of Satisfactory Departure to Visa Waiver Program (VWP) travelers who were already granted Satisfactory Departure but who are unable to return to their home countries due to COVID-19.

VWP travelers can request Satisfactory Departure through USCIS by calling the USCIS Contact Center. They will be asked to provide basic information including: date and place of most recent entry into the United States; reason for requesting Satisfactory Departure; contact information; and a copy of the biographic page of their passport.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is also authorized to grant requests for Satisfactory Departure, though the process for doing so varies by location. Travelers are encouraged to engage CBP at their port of entry to request an additional 30-day extension when needed.

Ogletree Deakins’ Immigration Practice Group will continue to monitor developments with respect to the policy changes and will post updates on the Immigration Blog and in the firm’s Coronavirus (COVID-19) Resource Center as additional information becomes available. Critical information for employers is also available via the firm’s webinar programs.

VETS Explains Data Collection and Filing Periods for VETS-4212 and EEO-1

On July 24, 2017, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS) sent a letter clarifying the data collection and reporting periods for the VETS-4212 and EEO-1 reports. The letter explains that contractors may use the same data collection period for the reports, but they must be filed during separate time periods.

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As Compliance Deadline Nears, the Eleventh Circuit Leaves Employer Provisions of Alabama’s Immigration Law Intact

Effective April 1, 2012, the Beason-Hammon Alabama Taxpayer and Citizen Protection Act will prohibit Alabama employers from knowingly hiring, employing, or continuing to employ unauthorized aliens. Every employer in the state of Alabama will be required to verify the immigration status (entitlement to be present within the United States) of its employees. Although enforcement of several provisions of the law has been blocked by the courts, most employer provisions remain in place. On March 8, 2012, the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals struck two additional sections of the law.

Paid Sick Leave for Federal Contractors is Here: DOL Announces Final Rule

On September 29, 2016, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced publication of the final rule implementing the paid sick leave executive order that applies to federal contractors. Executive Order (EO) 13706, Establishing Paid Sick Leave for Federal Contractors requires certain federal contractors to provide their employees up to seven days of paid sick leave per year.

Recommended Reading

VETS Explains Data Collection and Filing Periods for VETS-4212 and EEO-1

As Compliance Deadline Nears, the Eleventh Circuit Leaves Employer Provisions of Alabama’s Immigration Law Intact

Paid Sick Leave for Federal Contractors is Here: DOL Announces Final Rule