Frequently Asked Questions

Davis-Bacon Act FAQ's
http://www.dol.gov/esa/whd/programs/dbra/faqs.htm
Questions that will be answered on this site will be...

I. Davis-Bacon Wage Determinations

  • What is a wage determination?
  • What is a General Wage Determination?
  • What is a project wage determination?
  • What are supersedeas wage determinations?
  • What is a modification to a wage determination?

II. Obtaining Davis-Bacon Wage Determinations

  • How do I subscribe to General Wage Determinations Issued Under The Davis-Bacon and Related Acts? -Are the General Wage Determinations available electronically?
  • How do I obtain a wage determination for a construction project to be performed at a location not covered by a published wage determination?
  • Where can I obtain a copy of the General Wage Determination needed for a covered federal project?

III. Prevailing Wage Rates

  • Is the rate on the wage determination the minimum hourly wage rate?
  • Once construction has begun, are the workers- wage rates affected when the wage determination for the area in which the project is located is changed?
  • Is it possible for more than one wage schedule to apply to specifications for a particular contract?
  • Can apprentices, trainees, and/or helpers work on a project covered by the Davis-Bacon or related Acts (DBRA), and what wage rates must they be paid?
  • What wage rates must be paid to supervisory employees (foremen, superintendents, etc.) employed on a covered project?

IV. Davis-Bacon Wage Surveys

  • What criteria are used to determine the need for a survey in a particular area?
  • What is the purpose of this survey?
  • How are Davis-Bacon wage surveys conducted?
  • Who does the Department of Labor contact during the survey?
  • What is a peak week?
  • May we report an average of wage rates?
  • In order to submit wage data for a survey, do I have to have worked within the survey time frame?
  • Do I have to participate in a survey and is it important to participate?
  • In responding to a Davis-Bacon prevailing wage survey, what can we count as fringe benefits?
  • How are prevailing wage rates calculated?
  • How should wage data be reported for operating engineers on the WD-10 form?
  • How should wage data be reported for laborers on the WD-10 form?
  • How should wage data be reported for ironworkers on the WD-10 form?
  • When is data from federal projects included in Davis-Bacon wage surveys?

V. Appeal Process

  • If it is believed that the rates on a wage determination are not accurate can the wage determination be appealed?

VI. Contracting Agency Responsibilities

  • How do workers on a construction site know that a project is covered by the Davis-Bacon Act?- How do they know the prevailing wage to which they are entitled?
  • As the contracting officer/Federal agency representative, what is my obligation when the wage determination(s) applicable to a construction project contains multiple wage schedules (for different counties and/or types of construction)?
  • The wage determination applicable to my project does not contain a class of workers which is needed to complete construction.- Can other worker classification(s) and wage rate(s) be approved for use on the project?W

Wage & Hour Division FAQs
http://www.dol.gov/esa/whd/
Questions that will be answered on this site will be...

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