Agenda Item Name:
Title
Employment-Based Visa for current Community Support Services employee
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Presenter:
Heather Akpan- HR Director/Courtney Wilson- Sr. Assistant County Attorney
Tom Tonkavich - Assistant Director, Community Support Services
Description:
Community Support Services (CSS) continues to be challenged with hiring for certain positions and to recruit employees who are familiar with previously underserved communities (including language) and would like to enter the Employment Visa lottery to sponsor one current CSS employee.
Recommended Action:
Recommended Action
Approve entering the lottery and hiring special attorney Laura Cabrera, Esq. of George & Cabrera to handle the application on behalf of the County.
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Prior Board Motions:
The BoCC previously approved retaining Laura Cabrera in 2020, 2021, and 2022, to enter the lottery and submit applications for two employees in Information and Telecommunication Services.
Fiscal Consideration:
Fiscal Consideration
Per the Department of Labor, all HIB fees must be paid by the employer and the employer cannot seek reimbursement for these fees from the employee/beneficiary.
The fees applicable to Step 1 of the process are as follows:
a. Legal Fee: $1,300 per person-due at the time the Retention Agreement is executed
b. USCIS Fee: $10 registration fee per person-due to USCIS during registration
The fees applicable to Step 2 of the process are as follows:
a. Legal Fee: $2,200 flat fee per person-due at the time the application is selected by the lottery
b. USCIS Fee: $2,460 -due to USCIS at the time the application is submitted to USCIS.
Salary for the employee must be within the prevailing wage for the classification.
Funding: General Fund 001.29.2940.569.
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Strategic Guide:
Social and Economic Opportunity
Background:
The County did enter the lottery in 2020 and 2021 and was not selected. However, in 2022, an employee in Information and Telecommunication Services was selected, and had a successful application resulting in receiving an HIB visa commencing October 1, 2022.