Glossary
Each term has one meaning on this site. The first text is a plain explanation. The quotations are the words of the agencies, with a link to the page.
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- Labor condition application (LCA)
The form (ETA-9035) that an employer files with OFLC before it asks USCIS for an H-1B, H-1B1 or E-3 worker. An LCA is a filing. It is not a visa and it is not a job. One LCA can cover more than one worker position.
Prior to filing a petition with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services or obtaining a visa through the Department of State, employers must submit a Labor Condition Application (LCA/Form ETA-9035E/9035) to the Department of Labor attesting to compliance with the requirements of the H-1B, H-1B1 or E-3 program.
The words of the agency. Source: Office of Foreign Labor Certification, H-1B, H-1B1 and E-3 Specialty (Professional) Workers, copied .
- H-1B
A temporary work visa for a specialty occupation. The site counts LCAs. It does not count visas, petitions or workers who hold a visa.
The H-1B program allows employers to temporarily employ foreign workers in the U.S. on a nonimmigrant basis in specialty occupations or as fashion models of distinguished merit and ability.
The words of the agency. Source: Office of Foreign Labor Certification, H-1B, H-1B1 and E-3 Specialty (Professional) Workers, copied .
- Certified
The decision of OFLC that approves an LCA or a PERM application. The tables count "certified" and "certified-withdrawn" together as certified. A certified LCA is not a visa.
Employers with certified LCAs may proceed with the process of obtaining an H-1B, H-1B1 or E-3 visa through USCIS and the Department of State.
The words of the agency. Source: Office of Foreign Labor Certification, H-1B, H-1B1 and E-3 Specialty (Professional) Workers, copied .
Status associated with the last significant event or decision. Valid values include “Certified”, “Certified-Withdrawn”, Denied”, and “Withdrawn”.
The words of the agency. Source: Office of Foreign Labor Certification, LCA record layout, fiscal year 2026 quarter 3, copied .
- Denied and withdrawn
Two other final statuses of an application in the OFLC file. OFLC denied a denied application. The employer withdrew a withdrawn application. The site shows both counts beside the certified count.
Status associated with the last significant event or decision. Valid values include “Certified”, “Certified-Withdrawn”, Denied”, and “Withdrawn”.
The words of the agency. Source: Office of Foreign Labor Certification, LCA record layout, fiscal year 2026 quarter 3, copied .
- PERM application
An application for permanent labor certification (Form ETA-9089). In most cases an employer needs a certified PERM application before it asks USCIS for an immigrant petition. A PERM application is not a green card.
A permanent labor certification issued by the Department of Labor (DOL) allows an employer to hire a foreign worker to work permanently in the United States.
The words of the agency. Source: Office of Foreign Labor Certification, Permanent Labor Certification, copied .
- Prevailing wage
The wage that the rules set as the minimum for the job. OFLC takes it from survey data for the occupation and the area. The site shows the prevailing wage that the employer states on the form.
The prevailing wage rate is defined as the average wage paid to similarly employed workers in a specific occupation in the area of intended employment.
The words of the agency. Source: Office of Foreign Labor Certification, Prevailing Wage Information and Resources, copied .
- Wage level I to IV
One of four levels of the prevailing wage. The employer states the level on the LCA. The site shows the level as filed. "Not stated" means that the field is blank or "N/A".
Level I (entry) wage rates are assigned to job offers for beginning level employees who have only a basic understanding of the occupation.
The words of the agency. Source: Office of Foreign Labor Certification, Prevailing Wage Determination Policy Guidance, Nonagricultural Immigration Programs, revised November 2009, copied .
Level II (qualified) wage rates are assigned to job offers for qualified employees who have attained, either through education or experience, a good understanding of the occupation.
The words of the agency. Source: Office of Foreign Labor Certification, Prevailing Wage Determination Policy Guidance, Nonagricultural Immigration Programs, revised November 2009, copied .
Level III (experienced) wage rates are assigned to job offers for experienced employees who have a sound understanding of the occupation and have attained, either through education or experience, special skills or knowledge.
The words of the agency. Source: Office of Foreign Labor Certification, Prevailing Wage Determination Policy Guidance, Nonagricultural Immigration Programs, revised November 2009, copied .
Level IV (fully competent) wage rates are assigned to job offers for competent employees who have sufficient experience in the occupation to plan and conduct work requiring judgment and the independent evaluation, selection, modification, and application of standard procedures and techniques.
The words of the agency. Source: Office of Foreign Labor Certification, Prevailing Wage Determination Policy Guidance, Nonagricultural Immigration Programs, revised November 2009, copied .
OES Wage Level, if Employer independently determined the OES Wage for the First Worksite Location. Variables include "I", "II", "III", "IV" or "N/A”.
The words of the agency. Source: Office of Foreign Labor Certification, LCA record layout, fiscal year 2026 quarter 3, copied .
- Offered wage
The wage that the employer states on the form. The site changes it to a year. It multiplies an hourly rate by 2,080, a weekly rate by 52, a two-week rate by 26 and a monthly rate by 12. A median needs three or more applications.
Wage paid to nonimmigrant workers at the First Worksite Location. Unit of pay values include “Hour”, “Week”, “Bi-Weekly”, “Month”, and “Year”.
The words of the agency. Source: Office of Foreign Labor Certification, LCA record layout, fiscal year 2026 quarter 3, copied .
- Fiscal year (FY)
The federal year from 1 October to 30 September. Fiscal year 2026 runs from 1 October 2025 to 30 September 2026. A year that is not complete shows the date where the data ends.
The data sets are available in the Microsoft Excel (.xlsx) file format and organized by the federal fiscal year (October 1 through September 30).
The words of the agency. Source: Office of Foreign Labor Certification, Performance Data, copied .
- Inspection
One OSHA inspection of a workplace. The site counts the inspections that OSHA opened since 2016. An inspection can have no citation, one citation or many citations.
This dataset provides the inspection case detail for OSHA inspections. The dataset includes information about why the inspection was conducted.
The words of the agency. Source: Department of Labor Open Data Portal, dataset Inspection (OSHA), copied .
- Citation
A written notice from OSHA that names a standard and alleges that the employer violated it. A citation is not a finding of guilt. Many citations are contested, changed or settled. The OSHA file calls one row a violation. The site calls it a citation.
Each citation shall be in writing and shall describe with particularity the nature of the violation, including a reference to the provision of the Act, standard, rule, regulation, or order alleged to have been violated.
The words of the agency. Source: OSHA, Occupational Safety and Health Act, section 9, copied .
- Standard (OSHA)
The rule that a citation names, for example 1910.147 (the control of hazardous energy). The site shows the number as OSHA gives it, and a short subject from the Code of Federal Regulations.
OSHA Standard Cited
The words of the agency. Source: Department of Labor Open Data Portal, dataset Violation (OSHA), copied .
- Violation type
The class that OSHA gives a citation. The names are Serious, Willful, Repeat, Other-than-serious, Failure to abate and Unclassified. The site shows "Other-than-serious" without a label in a list of standards.
Violation Type
The words of the agency. Source: Department of Labor Open Data Portal, dataset Violation (OSHA), copied .
- Serious violation
A citation type for a condition with a substantial probability of death or serious physical harm. The employer knew of the condition or could have known. A type is OSHA's class. It is not a finding of the site.
For purposes of this section, a serious violation shall be deemed to exist in a place of employment if there is a substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a condition which exists, or from one or more practices, means, methods, operations, or processes which have been adopted or are in use, in such place of employment unless the employer did not, and could not with the exercise of reasonable diligence, know of the presence of the violation.
The words of the agency. Source: OSHA, Occupational Safety and Health Act, section 17, copied .
- Willful and repeat violation
Two citation types that carry a higher penalty range in the law. OSHA uses the words "willful" and "repeat" in its file. The site repeats them and adds no meaning.
Any employer who willfully or repeatedly violates the requirements of section 5 of this Act, any standard, rule, or order promulgated pursuant to section 6 of this Act, or regulations prescribed pursuant to this Act, may be assessed a civil penalty
The words of the agency. Source: OSHA, Occupational Safety and Health Act, section 17, copied .
- Initial penalty
The penalty that OSHA proposed when it issued the citation.
Initial Penalty Amount
The words of the agency. Source: Department of Labor Open Data Portal, dataset Violation (OSHA), copied .
- Current penalty
The penalty that the OSHA file holds now for the citation. It can differ from the initial penalty after a settlement, an informal conference or a decision. The site adds the current penalties of an employer.
Current Penalty Amount
The words of the agency. Source: Department of Labor Open Data Portal, dataset Violation (OSHA), copied .
- Contested
A citation is contested when the OSHA file holds a contest date for it. The status "contested" is for one inspection: at least one of its citations is contested. A contest can end with the citation upheld, changed or vacated.
Date Contested
The words of the agency. Source: Department of Labor Open Data Portal, dataset Violation (OSHA), copied .
If, within fifteen working days from the receipt of the notice issued by the Secretary the employer fails to notify the Secretary that he intends to contest the citation or proposed assessment of penalty, and no notice is filed by any employee or representative of employees under subsection (c) within such time, the citation and the assessment, as proposed, shall be deemed a final order of the Commission and not subject to review by any court or agency.
The words of the agency. Source: OSHA, Occupational Safety and Health Act, section 10, copied .
- Final order
A citation has a final order when the OSHA file holds a final order date for it. The status "final order" is for one inspection: every citation has a final order. A final order is a legal step. The site does not describe it as a finding about the employer.
Final Order Date
The words of the agency. Source: Department of Labor Open Data Portal, dataset Violation (OSHA), copied .
The Commission shall thereafter issue an order, based on findings of fact, affirming, modifying, or vacating the Secretary's citation or proposed penalty, or directing other appropriate relief, and such order shall become final thirty days after its issuance.
The words of the agency. Source: OSHA, Occupational Safety and Health Act, section 10, copied .
- Establishment
One physical location of an employer. OSHA records an inspection and an injury summary for an establishment. The site adds the establishments of one name in one state.
Establishment. An establishment is a single physical location where business is conducted or where services or industrial operations are performed.
The words of the agency. Source: 29 CFR 1904.46, Definitions (eCFR, current to 30 September 2026), copied .
- Form 300A
The yearly summary of work-related injuries and illnesses that an establishment sends to OSHA. OSHA does not verify the counts. Only some establishments must send the form, so a missing summary does not show that no injury happened.
OSHA collects data recorded on the OSHA Form 300A Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses from establishments with 250 or more employees not listed in the Exempt Industries list (29 CFR 1904 Subpart B, Appendix A) and from establishments with 20-249 employees listed in the 300A Table (29 CFR 1904 Subpart E, Appendix A).
The words of the agency. Source: OSHA, Injury Tracking Application (ITA) Data, copied .
- Total recordable case rate
The number of recordable cases for each 100 full-time workers. OSHA's Injury Tracking Application page calls it the Total Case Rate (TCR). The formula is the same. A rate is not a grade and the site does not rank establishments by it.
The formula to compute an incidence rate of occupational injuries and illnesses is: (Number of injuries and illnesses x 200,000) / Employee hours worked = Incidence rate. The Total Case Rate (TCR) includes all cases recorded on the OSHA Form 300 or 300A (Column H + Column I + Column J).
The words of the agency. Source: OSHA, Injury Tracking Application (ITA) Data, copied .
- DART rate
The rate of cases with days away from work, job restriction or job transfer, for each 100 full-time workers. DART means days away, restriction and transfer.
The Days Away, Restriction, and Transfer (DART) Rate includes cases recorded in Column H + Column I.
The words of the agency. Source: OSHA, Injury Tracking Application (ITA) Data, copied .
- Concluded compliance action (case)
One case of the Wage and Hour Division that has ended. The file lists the concluded cases since fiscal year 2005. A concluded case can have no violation.
The dataset contains all concluded WHD compliance actions since FY 2005. The dataset includes whether any violations were found and the back wage amount, number of employees due back wages, and civil money penalties assessed.
The words of the agency. Source: Department of Labor Open Data Portal, dataset Enforcement (Wage and Hour Division), copied .
- Back wages agreed to pay
The back wages that the employer agreed to pay when the case concluded. This is the name of the field in the WHD file. The file does not say if the employer paid the wages. The site uses this name for every amount of back wages.
Total Backwages Agreed To Pay
The words of the agency. Source: Department of Labor Open Data Portal, dataset Enforcement (Wage and Hour Division), copied .
The FLSA gives the Department of Labor the authority to recover back wages and liquidated damages (to be paid to employees), and to assess civil money penalties (to be paid to the government), in instances of minimum wage, overtime, and other violations.
The words of the agency. Source: Wage and Hour Division, Frequently Asked Questions: Complaints and the Investigation Process, copied .
- Civil money penalty
A penalty that the Wage and Hour Division assesses. It is paid to the government. It is not back wages. The WHD file spells the field "Civil Monetary Penalties".
Total CMP (Civil Monetary Penalties) assessments
The words of the agency. Source: Department of Labor Open Data Portal, dataset Enforcement (Wage and Hour Division), copied .
- Obligation (federal contracts)
A promise of the government to pay for a contract, now or later. An obligation is not a payment. USAspending adds the obligations of a recipient for the latest 12 months.
When awarding funding, the U.S. government enters a binding agreement called an obligation. The government promises to spend the money, either immediately or in the future.
The words of the agency. Source: USAspending.gov, About the Data (glossary), copied .
- UEI (unique entity identifier)
The code that identifies a company in the federal contract systems. A page shows the UEI that USAspending gives for the recipient.
The Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) for an awardee or recipient is an alphanumeric code created in the System for Award Management (SAM.gov) that is used to uniquely identify specific commercial, nonprofit, or business entities registered to do business with the federal government.
The words of the agency. Source: USAspending.gov, About the Data (glossary), copied .
- Union representation election
A vote of employees on a union, run by the NLRB. The site shows the tally. The union section of a page is empty while the site holds no NLRB data.
Elections to certify or decertify a union as the bargaining representative of a unit of employees are decided by a majority of votes cast.
The words of the agency. Source: National Labor Relations Board, Conduct Elections (Internet Archive copy of 7 September 2026), copied .
- NAICS code
The code of the industry of an establishment. The industry pages of the site use the first three digits, which are called the subsector.
The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) is the standard used by Federal statistical agencies in classifying business establishments for the purpose of collecting, analyzing, and publishing statistical data related to the U.S. business economy.
The words of the agency. Source: Census Bureau, North American Industry Classification System, copied .
- SOC occupation
The code of the occupation of a job, for example 15-1252 for software developers. The employer states the code on the LCA. The occupation pages of the site use it.
The 2018 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system is a federal statistical standard used by federal agencies to classify workers into occupational categories for the purpose of collecting, calculating, or disseminating data.
The words of the agency. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Standard Occupational Classification (Internet Archive copy of 30 September 2026), copied .
- Employer record
The page of one employer name in one state. The site joins the records of the agencies by the name and the state. The page can hold the records of firms that share the name.
No agency has an entry for this term. The explanation is the text of the site.
- Company record
The page that adds up the employer records of one name in two or more states. The site joins them by name only. A company record can hold different firms and different legal entities.
No agency has an entry for this term. The explanation is the text of the site.
- Data date
The date where the records of an agency end. Each section of a page shows its own data date, and the day on which the site last read the agency file.
No agency has an entry for this term. The explanation is the text of the site.
The site copied the agency texts on . A quotation keeps the spelling and the punctuation of the agency.