H-2B crisis looms; NALP urges action

Many landscape companies recently received devastating news, as they were informed by the Department of Labor that they would not receive the H-2B workers they were counting on. This year, due to an unprecedented volume of applications, more than 60 percent of seasonal businesses were unsuccessful in getting workers through the H-2B program.

“Many landscape companies will be facing a devastating employee shortage this year because they didn’t get their H-2B workers,” said Paul Mendelsohn, VP of government relations at the National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP). “Many landscape professionals spend hundreds and even thousands of hours each year attempting to recruit and retain quality landscape workers but in this economy, they just can’t find enough men and women willing to do physical labor and they lose work or have to close down because of that.”

NALP is urging everyone in the industry to take action. There is still time to make a difference before the 2018 Budget Resolution is passed. Companies that are affected by labor shortages are urged to use the association’s Advocacy Center to quickly and easily send Congressional representatives a pre-written e-mail, or tweet or Facebook post. The site also includes talking points for social media posts or conversations with staffers or representatives.

To get more involved with H-2B advocacy efforts or to be notified of fly-ins to Capitol Hill, contact Paul Mendelsohn at paul@landscapeprofessionals.org.