Prevailing wages on federal contracts
You are owed the prevailing wage if you work on certain covered federal or federally funded or assisted contracts
Construction
The Davis-Bacon and Related Acts (DBRA) require payment of locally prevailing wages to mechanics and laborers performing work on certain federally funded or assisted construction projects. The Davis-Bacon prevailing wage is the combination of the basic hourly wage rate and any fringe benefits listed for a specific classification of workers in the applicable Davis-Bacon wage determination. A wage determination lists wage rates determined by the by the Wage and Hour Division (WHD) to be prevailing in a specific geographic area for a certain type of construction and is required to be posted by the contractor at the site of the work in a prominent and accessible place where it can be easily seen by the workers. Davis-Bacon wage determinations are published online at Sam.gov.
If you are performing work on a federally funded or assisted construction project subject to Davis-Bacon requirements, you must be paid at least the prevailing wage for work actually performed on the project, e.g., if you performed work within the electrician classification, you must be paid the prevailing wage for electricians listed on the wage determination.
Services
The Service Contract Act (SCA) applies to certain service contracts entered into by the United States or the District of Columbia. Contractors and subcontractors on such covered contracts must pay service employees performing work on the contract a minimum wage and fringe benefits, where applicable. The wage rates and fringe benefits to be paid are specified in the applicable SCA wage determination. The contractor and any subcontractor under a covered SCA contract is required to notify each service employee commencing work of the minimum monetary wage and any fringe benefits required to be paid or shall post the wage determination attached to this contract in a prominent and accessible place at the worksite. SCA wage determinations are published online at Sam.gov.
If you are performing work under an SCA covered service contract, you must be paid at least the prevailing wage for the classification in which you are working.
Questions?
We’re here to help.
We are committed to helping you understand your rights as a worker. Many questions about wage rights may be answered by using the following online resources:
For additional assistance, please contact:
The Wage and Hour Division of the U.S. Department of Labor: 1-866-4-US-WAGE (1-866-487-9243)
When you contact us at DOL, all discussions with us, including complaints, are free and confidential. Your name and the nature of the complaint will not be disclosed to your employer. The only time we would share such information is when necessary to pursue an allegation, and we would only do so then with your permission, or if required by a court.