What is the Davis-Bacon Act?
The Davis-Bacon Act is a federal law that requires employers to pay certain laborers, mechanics, and other workers employed on public contracts at least a specified wage known as the prevailing wage. This law was enacted in 1931 and requires contractors and subcontractors to pay their laborers and mechanics no less than the “prevailing wages” of the locality in which the work is being done. This law applies to contractors and subcontractors performing any construction or alterations to public works projects in Washington that are federally funded or aided by loans or grants from the United States. This includes public buildings such as hospitals and schools, sewage systems, water systems, and highways, as well as any related contracts for materials and supplies. When it comes to Washington, the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries collects data regarding wages and benefits paid to workers in certain occupations and uses this information to publish a Prevailing Wage Rates table that lists the wages and benefits every contractor must pay to laborers and mechanics on public contracts. Contractors must pay their workers the wages and benefits that appear in this table and must keep records to prove compliance with the law. Additionally, workers are entitled to receive overtime pay if they work over 40 hours a week. In short, the Davis-Bacon Act ensures that publicly contracted workers in Washington are paid their fair wages according to their skill levels, and that wages for public works projects are not driven down by contractors using exploitative labor practices.
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