Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) | Flag.dol.gov

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

The FLAG Team consistently updates this page to ensure that users can get answers to their technical questions quickly.

My FLAG

Cases

My Network

Profiles

Forms

Wage Data Search

More Help

 

My FLAG

Can I edit my account details?

You can edit your Flag account details after logging into your FLAG.dol.gov account. While most fields may be edited, you cannot change your email address because your FLAG account is registered through your Login.gov credentials. Filers who wish to modify an email address will be required to re-register with Login.gov and create a new FLAG account.

Can multiple people share an account?

Each user must establish an individual account in Login.gov in order to access FLAG. Once your FLAG account is created, users may link accounts by creating a network. For more information on networks, click here to view a short instructional video.

Can I delete my account?

You can delete your FLAG.dol.gov account by accessing Login.gov and Managing Account.

I'm having trouble logging in to my FLAG account. Who do I contact?

FLAG uses Login.gov for secure authentication. If you are having trouble logging in to your account, please review the Login.gov FAQs or contact the login.gov team here.

Why am I required to use a second form of authentication for my FLAG account? Do I need a text message every time I log in?

Two-factor authentication is a standard security feature required by Login.gov. When entering your text message or authenticator app code, you may click on the "Remember this browser" box to reduce the number of times you are required to enter a second code.

 

Cases

How long does it take until I can view the details of case submitted for processing?

There is a brief processing time between submitting your application, and assignment of your permanent FLAG case number. Usually cases will remain in the "pre-submitted" phase for under fifteen minutes, after which the status will update to "submitted," and your official case number will become available. Once your permanent FLAG case number is available, click the Case Details button to see a PDF view of your submitted application or to add documents or withdraw your application.

Can I withdraw a case?

Yes, you can withdraw a case by visiting the Case Details page in the Submitted Cases table. "Withdraw" is one of the case actions available for submitted cases that are in the following statuses:

  • In Process (all case types)
  • RFI Issued (Prevailing Wage cases)
  • NOD Issued (Temporary Labor cases)
  • Accepted - Pending Recruitment (Temporary Labor cases)

How can I find a copy of my issued application?

Application in all programs with a final decision issued may be found in the Historical table in the My Cases tab. The Historical Table includes all finalized Applications for Temporary Labor Certification and Prevailing Wage Determinations. Filers should open the case drop down using the chevron to the left of the case number, then click the Case Details button. In the upper right corner, click on the View PDF button for the issued final decision.

 

My Network

What is a Network?

A network is a group of linked accounts, comprised of at least one Master account and one or more Sub-accounts. Networks permit users to access profiles created within that network and allow for case management actions to be taken when necessary. For example, if you work for a law firm, Master account holders can invite associates or paralegals to join their organization's network as a Sub-account or co-Master account. Joining a network is useful because it allows you to create and use the network's profiles to pre-fill sections of applications.

For more information on how to create a network, click here for a short instructional video.

For more information on case management, click here for a short instructional video.

What actions can users perform within a network?

Two user roles currently exist within networks, each with different permissions and abilities. Each account may only join a single network at any given time.

The Master account can:

  • add and remove members in a network
  • create and edit profiles
  • edit roles of all users within a network
  • view and submit all cases initiated by members within a network

Master accounts can be created either by adding members to a network or by a Master account holder modifying a user's permission from a Sub-account to a Master account. Master accounts are the only account type that can remove members from a network.

Sub-accounts are automatically created when an individual accepts an invitation to a Network. The Sub-account user can view all their own case, view and use all profiles within a network, and submit their own cases. Sub-accounts cannot leave a network on their own and must be removed by a Master account or create new profiles.

 

Profiles

What are profiles?

The Employer, Agent/Attorney, and Foreign Labor Recruiter Profiles, for example, allow users to store application information in a reusable profile. The information within a reusable profile can be imported to quickly and consistently pre-fill designated sections of one or more application forms. Please click here for our video on how to navigate profiles.

Why can't I create a profile?

All users who wish to create a profile must have a Master account role within a Network. If you're already a member of a network, contact the Master account holder to update your account type from a Sub-account to a Master account

If you are not already a member of a network, please click here for our video on how to create a network

How do I use a profile to pre-fill information within my applications?

At the top of the Employer, Agent/Attorney, or Foreign Labor Recruiter sections of the application form, a dropdown will appear with the profiles that the network has saved. Select the appropriate profile from the dropdown, click the populate button, and the form section will be completed using the profile information.

I am an Agricultural Association filing as a joint employer with multiple employer members. Will FLAG allow me to upload my list of employers directly to Addendum B?

FLAG allows filers to create and manage profiles that can be used to complete sections of the application, including the Addendums. To aid in your transition from the iCERT to FLAG System, we are offering a process to assist FLAG Account Holders in creating large numbers of profile entries. You may request a data upload service from the FLAG Help Desk if you meet the following criteria:

  • You must be part of a Network. Please review the FLAG FAQ on Networks here.
  • You must have 50 or more entries for any single H-2A profile (e.g., Agricultural Businesses). Those who have a total of 50 profiles split amongst several different profiles (e.g., 25 Agricultural Businesses, 25 Worker Housing) will not qualify for this service.
  • Only the following profiles can be batch processed into FLAG:
    • Crops or Commodities (Form ETA-790A Addendum A)
    • Agricultural Businesses (Form ETA-790A Addendum B)
    • Worker Housing (Form ETA-790A Addendum B)
    • Material Terms of Employment (Form ETA-790A Addendum C)

Please initiate your request by filling out the FLAG Help Desk Contact form.

 

Forms

I'm not sure how to best answer some of the questions in this form. Who can I reach out to for more information?

FLAG's Technical Help Desk is best suited to answer system questions. Links to the FLAG Technical Help Desk may be found in the Support tab. For program support, please contact the appropriate Office of Foreign Labor Certification Program Help Desk.

Will I be able to link a Prevailing Wage Determination that I submitted in iCERT to an application in FLAG?

Yes. When linking a Prevailing Wage, please look for the "Find a PW submitted in iCERT" link in the upper right corner of the PWD linking modal.

I'm filling out the Place of Employment section, and I can't change the "state" field. Why is this?

Please ensure you are filling out the correct form. The ETA-9141C (CW-1 Prevailing Wage) is for places of employment located in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) only and the state field is restricted to CNMI. In the ETA-9141, any state field is accepted. For H-2B applications, only worksites submitted on the prevailing wage application may be added. Check to make sure the state you wish to add is a worksite was included in one or more of the PWDs you have linked to the H-2B application.

The county I have selected for previous Prevailing Wage applications no longer appears in the dropdown. What has changed?

The counties and county equivalents in FLAG were updated on July 1, 2019 to match the geographic areas used in the Bureau of Labor Statistics OES Survey. Please visit the Online Wage Library to download a copy of the updated geographic areas or the OFLC website for further information on OFLC's implementation. You may contact the appropriate OFLC Program Help Desk with additional questions.

I'm reviewing the PDF version of my application, and the formatting is not correct. Will this affect how my case is processed?

No. Case processing analysts will review the information as entered, and PDF formatting issues will not affect the processing of your application or the final decision issued.

I submitted my application; however, I didn't receive an email confirmation with my assigned case number. What should I do?

The email confirmation is sent to the employer point of contact's email address and the agent/attorney's email address, if applicable, not the FLAG Account email address. If the employer point of contact or the agent/attorney did not receive a confirmation email, please reach out to the FLAG Technical Help Desk and include the Case Number.

Why did I not receive an e-mail from FLAG? Why are FLAG e-mails going to my junk folder?

Each e-mail service provider has its own filters and rules; sometimes e-mails are identified as spam by your e-mail service provider and filtered to your junk folder. Therefore, it is important for stakeholders to set their e-mail filters so that e-mails from admin@cmp.dol.gov do not go into junk mail.

I added an entry to my Form ETA-9142A indicating my employer type is an Association in error. How should I update my application?

Every filer submitting an H-2A Application for Temporary Labor Certification is required to complete Section A.1 Type of Employer Application by selecting either Individual Employer or Joint Employer. Agricultural Associations must also complete Section A.1a Agricultural Association Employer or Agency Status, if applicable. Non-Agricultural Association filers who accidentally enter an Association type in Section A.1a may use the ‘Clear’ button located next to the filing tip tool (?).

I’m filling out work experience in Appendix A.E - Foreign Worker Work Experience of the Form ETA-9089. What should I enter for the 'end date' when the worker is presently working for the employer?

You can enter the current month and year for when you’re completing the application. Use a MM/YYYY format. Make sure to select “Yes” to question 1.j. Present.

I need to link a PWD case number that is not in my network on my ETA-9089 application. How do I do that?

To link a PWD from another account, you will need the properly formatted full PWD case number P-XXX-XXXXX-XXXXXX. For step-by-step instructions, consult the Permanent Labor Certification (PERM) User Guide. For your convenience, the PERM User Guide can be found on the PERM program page on the Foreign Labor Application Gateway portal.

Where can we find a copy of the new Form ETA-9089?

The official, fillable, and 508 compatible .PDF versions of the Form ETA-9089 and its appendices are posted on the Foreign Labor Certification Forms page (https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/foreign-labor/forms).

Where are the presentation materials and recordings from the April 2023 stakeholder webinars on the new Form ETA-9089 posted?

The presentation materials and recordings are available at the Foreign Labor Certification Announcements page: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/foreign-labor/news. You can also find them under the "Webinars" tab at the bottom of the Permanent Labor Certification program page on our website located here: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/foreign-labor/programs/permanent.

 

Wage Data Search

Why was there such a big change in the wages from one year to the next?

All data is reviewed by BLS staff at both the state and federal level. Because the data is created from a sample of employers, rather than a required census, there are several possible explanations for variations in the data:

  • The data may have been calculated using a smaller or larger geographic area depending on the number and size of respondents in each area.
  • The mix of high paying to low paying employers who were sampled, or who responded may have shifted.
  • Employers may have made different decisions classifying the occupation; for instance some employers may classify an apprentice electrician as an electrician, and some may classify them as an electricians helper.
  • The mix of union to non-union respondents in an area may have shifted.

In general, BLS does not revise the OEWS wage data after release. There is no provision that allows this site to revise the BLS estimates, or to provide any alternative estimates based on data from previous years.

What is the Geographic Level (GeoLevel)?

  • If the data used to calculate the wage estimate came from the MSA, non-MSA, or NECTA area the GeoLevel-code will equal "1".
  • If there were no releasable estimates for the desired area, then the wage area is the area indicated plus its contiguous areas. This is signified by a GeoLevel "2".
  • If there were no releasable estimates for the desired area, or for the desired area plus contiguous areas, the wage is calculated from statewide data, indicated by a GeoLevel "3".
  • Finally, if there is no releasable estimate for the state, the national average is used. This is indicated by GeoLevel "4".

How do I choose which Data Source to use?

  • The OFLC Data Search page includes Data Sources, “All Industries” database and “ACWIA - Higher Education” database. Wages are provided for the current wage year and previous years.
  • Most filers will use the All Industries database for the current wage year.
  • The All Industries Database must be used, unless the employer is subject to ACWIA.
  • Employers subject to ACWIA should use the occupations and wages found in the ACWIA - Higher Education database. These employers are defined in 20 CFR 656.40(e)(1).
  • Certain occupations within the ACWIA - Higher Education database are divided into R&D and non-R&D occupations. Separate wages are listed for these occupations.
  • The All Industries Database must be used, unless the employer is subject to ACWIA.

Changing the Data Source selection will update the list of occupations you can choose from.

An Explanation of SVP

Specific Vocational Preparation is defined as the amount of lapsed time required by a typical worker to learn the techniques, acquire the information, and develop the facility needed for average performance in a specific job-worker situation. 

This training may be acquired in a school, work, military, instructional, or vocational environment. It does not include the orientation time required of fully qualified worker to become accustomed to the special conditions of any new job. Specific vocational training includes: vocational education, apprenticeship training, in-plant training, on-the-job training, and essential experience in other jobs. 

Specific vocational training includes training given in any of the following circumstances:

  • Vocational education (high school; commercial or shop training; technical school; art school; and that part of college training which is organized around a specific vocational objective):
  • Apprenticeship training (for apprenticeable jobs only);
  • In- plant training (organized classroom study provided by an employer);
  • On-the-job training (serving as learner or trainee on the job under the instruction of a qualified worker);
  • Essential experience in other jobs (serving in less responsible jobs which lead to the higher grade job or serving in other jobs which qualify).

The following is an explanation of the various level of specific vocational preparation:

  • SVP 1 - Short demonstration only
  • SVP 2 - Anything beyond short demonstration up to and including 1 month
  • SVP 3 - Over 1 month up to and including 3 months
  • SVP 4 - Over 3 months up to and including 6 months
  • SVP 5 - Over 6 months up to and including 1 year
  • SVP 6 - Over 1 year up to and including 2 years
  • SVP 7 - Over 2 years up to and including 4 years
  • SVP 8 - Over 4 years up to and including 10 years
  • SVP 9 - Over 10 years

Note: The levels of this scale are mutually exclusive and do not overlap.

 

More Help

Still looking for more guidance?

Please fill out our Contact Form to submit your issue to the FLAG Technical Help Desk.

 

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