Common Issues With Prevailing Wage Contractors

By Thomas Rogers


The majority of federal projects come with numerous rules that must be followed. The failure to follow them might lead to some form of prosecution, and this necessitates the need for one to be properly informed. It is important to do thorough research to know all the issues and conditions that one must follow before taking such a contract. The following are some of the most common issues with prevailing wage contractors.

The law is set to work even during the cases when notifications may be limited. The failure of a public body which is mandated to inspect the project to give formal notifications does not create loopholes for anyone. This is because the contractor is still required to pay their workers as according to the prevailing rates. Where differences are noted they must be settled afterward and the public body can pay the fines if any are available.

A subcontractor has the duty of making all the proper payments even when they have received little notification from the contractor. In the event that a certain company is given the subcontractor role and they have not been made aware of their duties, they have to ensure that they pay the workers properly. This is according to the prevailing rates law and any fines and interests will be handled by the contractor. The arrangements, however, should be clear.

Record keeping is crucial. It is always the duty of the contractor to have all the records regarding the project with them. Among such essential records are those pertaining to the payments of workers which are the certified payrolls. It is also required by law that the contractor or subcontractor makes a submission of such records to the public body that awarded the contract. Penalties can be in play where such a rule is not adhered to.

The matter regarding falsified records. This is a critical aspect of the auditing process and it is essential for all contractors to know their obligations and offenses related. The false submission of certified payrolls makes a contractor subject to debarment. This includes them being prohibited from participating in any kind of public works for a period of four years. It is a regulation that gives zero option for a hearing.

The need to keep records even after submission. This aspect is important in the vent where a company may be pondering on discarding certain records. This can be the case when a contractor thinks that all they have to submit are the certified payroll records. However, all records pertaining to a public project must be maintained by law. Payroll records do not offer the full story.

County regulations and job site. The service provider has to post the prevailing wage rates for the area or county that they execute the project. This includes the location as well, and workers should be made wary of all the prevailing rates associated with the project.

The issue of union alliance and disassociation. Where the contractor does not take any alliance with a union they still have to abide by the law. The current rates need to be ensured by all contractors even the non-union allied kind.




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