With the May 17 deadline for public comments on the Department of Labor’s proposed changes to Davis-Bacon and Related Acts prevailing wage regulations fast approaching, ABC urges interested members to consider submitting comments on these sweeping changes to federal contracting rules.

The 1931 Davis-Bacon Act and related regulations require contractors and subcontractors that perform work on federal and federally funded construction projects to pay a government-determined prevailing wage and benefit rate on an hourly basis to on-site construction workers. The Davis-Bacon Act and 71 Related Acts collectively apply to an estimated $217 billion in federal and federally assisted construction spending per year and provide government-determined wage rates for an estimated 1.2 million U.S. construction workers.

The proposed rule would undo Reagan-era reforms, expand coverage of prevailing wage requirements and ensure that union wage rates prevail more often. This will lead to additional administrative burdens and increased costs for contractors and taxpayers, lessening the value per dollar of recent investments in our nation’s infrastructure.

It is critical that as many ABC members share their thoughts on the potential impact of this rule as possible. To comment, use regulations.gov and enter Regulatory Information Number 1235-AA40, then click the blue “Comment” button.

For more information on the proposed rule, see Littler Mendelson’s summary of the primary changes, as well as a recent ABC webinar recording available in the Academy.

For assistance in writing comments, please reach out Michael Altman at [email protected].