Once an attestation has been received from an employer, a determination shall be made by the Certifying Officer whether to accept the attestation for filing or return it. The Certifying Officer may request additional explanation and/or documentation from the employer in making this determination. An attestation which is properly filled out and which includes accompanying documentation for the requirement set forth at § 655.537 of this part shall be accepted for filing by ETA on the date it is signed by the Certifying Officer unless it falls within one of the categories set forth in paragraph (b) of this section. Once an attestation is accepted for filing, ETA shall then follow the procedures set forth in paragraph (a)(1) of this section. Upon acceptance of the employer's attestation by ETA, the attestation and accompanying documentation shall be forwarded to and be available for public examination at the ETA national office in a timely manner. ETA shall not consider information contesting an attestation received by ETA prior to the determination to accept or return the attestation for filing. Such information shall not be made a part of ETA's administrative record on the attestation, but shall be referred to ESA to be processed as a complaint pursuant to subpart G of this part if the attestation is accepted by ETA for filing.

(a) Acceptance. (1) If the attestation is properly filled out and includes accompanying documentation for the requirement set forth at § 655.537, and does not fall within one of the categories set forth at paragraph (b) of this section, ETA shall accept the attestation for filing, provide notification to the DHS office having jurisdiction over the location where longshore work will be performed, and return to the employer, or the employer's agent or representative at a U.S. address, one copy of the attestation form submitted by the employer, with ETA's acceptance indicated thereon. Before using alien crewmembers to perform the longshore work attested to on Form ETA 9033-A, the employer shall make a bona fide request for and employ United States longshore workers who are qualified and available in sufficient numbers pursuant to §§ 655.534 and 655.535. Where such a request for dispatch of United States longshore workers is unsuccessful, either in whole or in part, any use of alien crewmembers to perform longshore activity shall be in accordance with DHS regulations.

(2) DOL is not the guarantor of the accuracy, truthfulness or adequacy of an attestation accepted for filing.

(b) Unacceptable attestations. ETA shall not accept an attestation for filing and shall return such attestation to the employer, or the employer's agent or representative at a U.S. address, when any one of the following conditions exists:

(1) When the Form ETA 9033-A is not properly filled out. Examples of improperly filled out Form ETA 9033-A's include instances where the employer has neglected to check all the necessary boxes, where the employer has failed to include the name of any port, city, or other geographical reference point where longshore work is to be performed, or where the employer has failed to sign the attestation or to designate an agent in the United States.

(2) When the Form ETA 9033-A with accompanying documentation is not received by ETA at least 30 days prior to the first performance of the longshore activity, unless the employer is claiming that it could not have reasonably anticipated the need to file the attestation for that location at that time, and has included documentation which supports this contention, and ETA has found the claim to be valid.

(3) When the Form ETA 9033-A does not include accompanying documentation for the requirement set forth at § 655.537.

(4) When the accompanying documentation submitted by the employer and required by § 655.537, on its face, is inconsistent with that section. Examples of such a situation include an instance where the Form ETA 9033-A indicates that the longshore work will be performed at a particular private dock and the documentation required under the notice attestation element indicates that notice was provided to an operator of a different private dock, or where the longshore work is to be performed at a particular time and location in the State of Alaska and the notice of filing provided to qualified labor organizations and contract stevedoring companies indicates that the longshore work is to be performed at a different time and/or location.

(5) When the Administrator, Wage and Hour Division, has notified ETA, in writing, after an investigation pursuant to subpart G of this part, that a cease and desist order has been issued pursuant to subpart G of this part, with respect to the attesting employer's performance of longshore work at a particular location in the State of Alaska, in violation of a previously accepted attestation.

(6) When the Administrator, Wage and Hour Division, has notified ETA, in writing, after an investigation pursuant to subpart G of this part, that the particular employer has misrepresented or failed to comply with an attestation previously submitted and accepted for filing, but in no case for a period of more than one year after the date of the Administrator's notice and provided that DHS has not advised ETA that the prohibition is in effect for a lesser period.

(7) When the Administrator, Wage and Hour Division, has notified ETA, in writing, that the employer has failed to comply with any penalty, sanction, or other remedy assessed in a final agency action following an investigation by the Wage and Hour Division pursuant to subpart G of this part.

(c) Resubmission. If the attestation is not accepted for filing pursuant to paragraph (b) of this section, ETA shall return to the employer, or the employer's agent or representative, at a U.S. address, the attestation form and accompanying documentation submitted by the employer. ETA shall notify the employer, in writing, of the reason(s) that the attestation is unacceptable. When an attestation is found to be unacceptable pursuant to paragraph (b) (1), (2), (3), or (4) of this section, the employer may resubmit the corrected attestation with the proper documentation. When an attestation is found to be unacceptable pursuant to paragraph (b) (5), (6), or (7) of this section and returned, such action shall be the final decision of the Secretary of Labor.