An introduction to California’s Prevailing Wage Laws and regulations for Public Works Projects

Are you currently being compensated minimum wage?

Many employees don’t understand the minimum wage isn’t $8 each hour on public works projects. Employees frequently don’t understand they’re getting shortchanged until they discover another worker on a single site employed by another contractor gets compensated considerably more. Public works projects are controlled by prevailing wage laws and regulations. These laws and regulations were created prevent contractors and subcontractors from reducing worker wages to compete for projects. The central reason for the current wage law, that is a minimum wage law, would be to safeguard and benefit employees on public works projects by making certain these employees receive wages present with their trade, craft, or classification.

What’s California’s prevailing wage law?

The California Prevailing Wage Law (California Labor Code, §§ 1720-1861) is really a comprehensive statutory plan made to enforce minimum wage standards on construction projects funded entirely or perhaps in spend public funds.

Under this law, ALL workers employed on public works projects costing greater than $1,000 should be compensated not under the overall prevailing rate as based on the Director from the Department of commercial Relations. The job to pay for prevailing wages reaches both prime contractor and all sorts of subcontractors. The central reason for this law, that is a minimum wage law, would be to safeguard and benefit employees on public works projects.

Which employers are covered?

The job to pay for prevailing wages reaches both prime contractor and all sorts of subcontractors on public works projects. A subcontractor is any company or person which has joined into a contract to supply services for any primary or prime contractor, whether it’s an order order or contract or perhaps an dental agreement. Essentially, if you’re working in a jobsite, your employer will be an contractor or perhaps a subcontractor.

Exactly what is a public works project?

Under these laws and regulations an open works project is assembling your shed costing greater than $1,000 that’s funded entirely or perhaps in spend public funds. So even when your worksite seems to become a private sector project, if area of the funds originates from public sources it might be considered an open works project.

What rate must i be compensated?

The Director from the Department of commercial Relations determines and publishes the wage rates for particular trades, crafts, or classifications.

The relevant rate depends upon your responsibilities, And not the title your employer provides you with. For instance, your employer may hire you like a roofer, but you’re really carrying out work like a auto technician. Courts will review your actual job responsibilities and see that you ought to happen to be compensated the current wage for any auto technician despite the fact that your title is “roofer.” A professional attorney will help you evaluate your work responsibilities and see your correct wages.

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