PART 5—LABOR STANDARDS PROVISIONS APPLICABLE TO CONTRACTS COVERING FEDERALLY FINANCED AND ASSISTED CONSTRUCTION (ALSO LABOR STANDARDS PROVISIONS APPLICABLE TO NONCONSTRUCTION CONTRACTS SUBJECT TO THE CONTRACT WORK HOURS AND SAFETY STANDARDS ACT) Authority: 5 U.S.C. 301; Reorganization Plan No. 14 of 1950, 5 U.S.C. appendix; 28 U.S.C. 2461 note; 40 U.S.C. 3141 et seq.; et seq.; Source: 48 FR 19541, Apr. 29, 1983, unless otherwise noted. Subpart A—Davis-Bacon and Related Acts Provisions and Procedures Source: 48 FR 19540, Apr. 29, 1983, unless otherwise noted. Editorial Note: Nomenclature changes to subpart A of part 5 appear at 61 FR 19984, May 3, 1996. § 5.1 Purpose and scope. (a) The regulations contained in this part are promulgated under the authority conferred upon the Secretary of Labor by Reorganization Plan No. 14 of 1950 (64 Stat. 1267, as amended, 5 U.S.C. appendix) and the Copeland Act (48 Stat. 948; 18 U.S.C. 874; 40 U.S.C. 3145) in order to coordinate the administration and enforcement of labor standards provisions contained in the Davis-Bacon Act (46 Stat. 1494, as amended; 40 U.S.C. 3141 et seq. (1) A listing of laws requiring Davis-Bacon labor standards provisions can be found at www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/government-contracts (2) [Reserved] (b) Part 1 of this subtitle contains the Department's procedural rules governing requests for wage determinations and the issuance and use of such wage determinations under the Davis-Bacon Act and its Related Acts. [88 FR 57731, Aug. 23, 2023] § 5.2 Definitions. Administrator. Agency. (1) Federal agency. (2) [Reserved] Agency Head. Apprentice helper. (1) “Apprentice” means: (i) A person employed and individually registered in a bona fide apprenticeship program registered with the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, Office of Apprenticeship, or with a State Apprenticeship Agency recognized by the Office of Apprenticeship; or (ii) A person in the first 90 days of probationary employment as an apprentice in such an apprenticeship program, who is not individually registered in the program, but who has been certified by the Office of Apprenticeship or a State Apprenticeship Agency (where appropriate) to be eligible for probationary employment as an apprentice; (2) These provisions do not apply to apprentices and trainees employed on projects subject to 23 U.S.C. 113 who are enrolled in programs which have been certified by the Secretary of Transportation in accordance with 23 U.S.C. 113(c). (3) A distinct classification of helper will be issued in wage determinations applicable to work performed on construction projects covered by the labor standards provisions of the Davis-Bacon and Related Acts only where: (i) The duties of the helper are clearly defined and distinct from those of any other classification on the wage determination; (ii) The use of such helpers is an established prevailing practice in the area; and (iii) The helper is not employed as a trainee in an informal training program. A “helper” classification will be added to wage determinations pursuant to § 5.5(a)(1)(iii)(A) only where, in addition, the work to be performed by the helper is not performed by a classification in the wage determination. Building or work. Construction, prosecution, completion, or repair. ” (1) These terms include all types of work done— (i) On a particular building or work at the site of the work, as defined in this section, by laborers and mechanics employed by a contractor or subcontractor, or (ii) In the construction or development of a project under a development statute. (2) These terms include, without limitation (except as specified in this definition): (i) Altering, remodeling, installation (where appropriate) on the site of the work of items fabricated offsite; (ii) Painting and decorating; (iii) Manufacturing or furnishing of materials, articles, supplies or equipment, but only if such work is done by laborers or mechanics (A) Employed by a contractor or subcontractor, as defined in this section, on the site of the work, as defined in this section, or (B) In the construction or development of a project under a development statute; (iv) “Covered transportation,” defined as any of the following activities: (A) Transportation that takes place entirely within a location meeting the definition of “site of the work” in this section; (B) Transportation of one or more “significant portion(s)” of the building or work between a “secondary construction site” as defined in this section and a “primary construction site” as defined in this section; (C) Transportation between an “adjacent or virtually adjacent dedicated support site” as defined in this section and a “primary construction site” or “secondary construction site” as defined in this section; (D) “Onsite activities essential or incidental to offsite transportation,” defined as activities conducted by a truck driver or truck driver's assistant on the site of the work that are essential or incidental to the transportation of materials or supplies to or from the site of the work, such as loading, unloading, or waiting for materials to be loaded or unloaded, but only where the driver or driver's assistant's time spent on the site of the work is not de minimis; (E) Any transportation and related activities, whether on or off the site of the work, by laborers and mechanics employed in the construction or development of the project under a development statute. (v) Demolition and/or removal, under any of the following circumstances: (A) Where the demolition and/or removal activities themselves constitute construction, alteration, and/or repair of an existing building or work. Examples of such activities include the removal of asbestos, paint, components, systems, or parts from a facility that will not be demolished; as well as contracts for hazardous waste removal, land recycling, or reclamation that involve substantial earth moving, removal of contaminated soil, re-contouring surfaces, and/or habitat restoration. (B) Where subsequent construction covered in whole or in part by the labor standards in this part is contemplated at the site of the demolition or removal, either as part of the same contract or as part of a future contract. In determining whether covered construction is contemplated within the meaning of this provision, relevant factors include, but are not limited to, the existence of engineering or architectural plans or surveys of the site; the allocation of, or an application for, Federal funds; contract negotiations or bid solicitations; the stated intent of the relevant government officials; and the disposition of the site after demolition. (C) Where otherwise required by statute. (3) Except for transportation that constitutes “covered transportation” as defined in this section, construction, prosecution, completion, or repair does not include the transportation of materials or supplies to or from the site of the work. Contract. Contracting officer. Contractor. Davis-Bacon labor standards. Development statute. Employed. Laborer mechanic. Material supplier. (1) A material supplier is an entity meeting all of the following criteria: (i) Its only obligations for work on the contract or project are the delivery of materials, articles, supplies, or equipment, which may include pickup of the same in addition to, but not exclusive of, delivery, and which may also include activities incidental to such delivery and pickup, such as loading, unloading, or waiting for materials to be loaded or unloaded; and (ii) Its facility or facilities that manufactures the materials, articles, supplies, or equipment used for the contract or project: (A) Is not located on, or does not itself constitute, the project or contract's primary construction site or secondary construction site as defined in this section; and (B) Either was established before opening of bids on the contract or project, or is not dedicated exclusively, or nearly so, to the performance of the contract or project. (2) If an entity, in addition to being engaged in the activities specified in paragraph (1)(i) of this definition, also engages in other construction, prosecution, completion, or repair work at the site of the work, it is not a material supplier. Prime contractor. e.g., Public building public work. Secretary. Site of the work. (1) “Site of the work” includes all of the following: (i) The primary construction site(s), defined as the physical place or places where the building or work called for in the contract will remain. (ii) Any secondary construction site(s), defined as any other site(s) where a significant portion of the building or work is constructed, provided provided further (iii) Any adjacent or virtually adjacent dedicated support sites, defined as: (A) Job headquarters, tool yards, batch plants, borrow pits, and similar facilities of a contractor or subcontractor that are dedicated exclusively, or nearly so, to performance of the contract or project, and (B) Locations adjacent or virtually adjacent to a primary construction site at which workers perform activities associated with directing vehicular or pedestrian traffic around or away from the primary construction site. (2) With the exception of locations that are on, or that themselves constitute, primary or secondary construction sites as defined in paragraphs (1)(i) and (ii) of this definition, site of the work does not include: (i) Permanent home offices, branch plant establishments, fabrication plants, tool yards, etc., of a contractor or subcontractor whose location and continuance in operation are determined wholly without regard to a particular Federal or federally assisted contract or project; or (ii) Fabrication plants, batch plants, borrow pits, job headquarters, tool yards, etc., of a material supplier, which are established by a material supplier for the project before opening of bids and not on the primary construction site or a secondary construction site, even where the operations for a period of time may be dedicated exclusively, or nearly so, to the performance of a contract. Subcontractor. United States or the District of Columbia. Wages. Wage determination. [88 FR 57731, Aug. 23, 2023] §§ 5.3-5.4 [Reserved] § 5.5 Contract provisions and related matters. (a) Required contract clauses. Provided, (1) Minimum wages Wage rates and fringe benefits. Provided, (ii) Frequently recurring classifications. ( 1 ( 2 ( 3 (B) The Administrator will establish wage rates for such classifications in accordance with paragraph (a)(1)(iii)(A)( 3 (iii) Conformance. ( 1 ( 2 ( 3 (B) The conformance process may not be used to split, subdivide, or otherwise avoid application of classifications listed in the wage determination. (C) If the contractor and the laborers and mechanics to be employed in the classification (if known), or their representatives, and the contracting officer agree on the classification and wage rate (including the amount designated for fringe benefits where appropriate), a report of the action taken will be sent by the contracting officer by email to [email protected] (D) In the event the contractor, the laborers or mechanics to be employed in the classification or their representatives, and the contracting officer do not agree on the proposed classification and wage rate (including the amount designated for fringe benefits, where appropriate), the contracting officer will, by email to [email protected] , (E) The contracting officer must promptly notify the contractor of the action taken by the Wage and Hour Division under paragraphs (a)(1)(iii)(C) and (D) of this section. The contractor must furnish a written copy of such determination to each affected worker or it must be posted as a part of the wage determination. The wage rate (including fringe benefits where appropriate) determined pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)(iii)(C) or (D) of this section must be paid to all workers performing work in the classification under this contract from the first day on which work is performed in the classification. (iv) Fringe benefits not expressed as an hourly rate. (v) Unfunded plans. Provided, (vi) Interest. (2) Withholding Withholding requirements. (ii) Priority to withheld funds. (A) A contractor's surety(ies), including without limitation performance bond sureties and payment bond sureties; (B) A contracting agency for its reprocurement costs; (C) A trustee(s) (either a court-appointed trustee or a U.S. trustee, or both) in bankruptcy of a contractor, or a contractor's bankruptcy estate; (D) A contractor's assignee(s); (E) A contractor's successor(s); or (F) A claim asserted under the Prompt Payment Act, 31 U.S.C. 3901-3907. (3) Records and certified payrolls Basic record requirements Length of record retention. (B) Information required. (C) Additional records relating to fringe benefits. (D) Additional records relating to apprenticeship. (ii) Certified payroll requirements Frequency and method of submission. (B) Information required. e.g., https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/WHD/legacy/files/wh347/.pdf (C) Statement of Compliance. ( 1 ( 2 ( 3 (D) Use of Optional Form WH-347. (E) Signature. (F) Falsification. (G) Length of certified payroll retention. (iii) Contracts, subcontracts, and related documents. (iv) Required disclosures and access Required record disclosures and access to workers. (B) Sanctions for non-compliance with records and worker access requirements. (C) Required information disclosures. (4) Apprentices and equal employment opportunity Apprentices Rate of pay. (B) Fringe benefits. (C) Apprenticeship ratio. (D) Reciprocity of ratios and wage rates. (ii) Equal employment opportunity. (5) Compliance with Copeland Act requirements. (6) Subcontracts. (7) Contract termination: debarment. (8) Compliance with Davis-Bacon and Related Act requirements. (9) Disputes concerning labor standards. (10) Certification of eligibility. (ii) No part of this contract shall be subcontracted to any person or firm ineligible for award of a Government contract by virtue of 40 U.S.C. 3144(b) or § 5.12(a). (iii) The penalty for making false statements is prescribed in the U.S. Code, Title 18 Crimes and Criminal Procedure, 18 U.S.C. 1001. (11) Anti-retaliation. (i) Notifying any contractor of any conduct which the worker reasonably believes constitutes a violation of the DBA, Related Acts, this part, or 29 CFR part 1 or 3; (ii) Filing any complaint, initiating or causing to be initiated any proceeding, or otherwise asserting or seeking to assert on behalf of themselves or others any right or protection under the DBA, Related Acts, this part, or 29 CFR part 1 or 3; (iii) Cooperating in any investigation or other compliance action, or testifying in any proceeding under the DBA, Related Acts, this part, or 29 CFR part 1 or 3; or (iv) Informing any other person about their rights under the DBA, Related Acts, this part, or 29 CFR part 1 or 3. (b) Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act (CWHSSA). (1) Overtime requirements. (2) Violation; liability for unpaid wages; liquidated damages. (3) Withholding for unpaid wages and liquidated damages Withholding process. (ii) Priority to withheld funds. (A) A contractor's surety(ies), including without limitation performance bond sureties and payment bond sureties; (B) A contracting agency for its reprocurement costs; (C) A trustee(s) (either a court-appointed trustee or a U.S. trustee, or both) in bankruptcy of a contractor, or a contractor's bankruptcy estate; (D) A contractor's assignee(s); (E) A contractor's successor(s); or (F) A claim asserted under the Prompt Payment Act, 31 U.S.C. 3901-3907. (4) Subcontracts. (5) Anti-retaliation. (i) Notifying any contractor of any conduct which the worker reasonably believes constitutes a violation of the Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act (CWHSSA) or its implementing regulations in this part; (ii) Filing any complaint, initiating or causing to be initiated any proceeding, or otherwise asserting or seeking to assert on behalf of themselves or others any right or protection under CWHSSA or this part; (iii) Cooperating in any investigation or other compliance action, or testifying in any proceeding under CWHSSA or this part; or (iv) Informing any other person about their rights under CWHSSA or this part. (c) CWHSSA required records clause. (d) Incorporation of contract clauses and wage determinations by reference. (e) Incorporation by operation of law. (The information collection, recordkeeping, and reporting requirements contained in the following paragraphs of this section were approved by the Office of Management and Budget: Paragraph OMB (a)(1)(ii)(B) 1235-0023 (a)(1)(ii)(C) 1235-0023 (a)(1)(iv) 1235-0023 (a)(3)(i) 1235-0023 (a)(3)(ii)(A) 1235-0023 1235-0008 (c) 1235-0023 [48 FR 19540, Apr. 29, 1983, as amended at 51 FR 12265, Apr. 9, 1986; 55 FR 50150, Dec. 4, 1990; 57 FR 28776, June 26, 1992; 58 FR 58955, Nov. 5, 1993; 61 FR 40716, Aug. 5, 1996; 65 FR 69693, Nov. 20, 2000; 73 FR 77511, Dec. 19, 2008; 81 FR 43450, July 1, 2016; 82 FR 2225, 2226, Jan. 9, 2017; 83 FR 12, Jan 2, 2018; 84 FR 218, Jan. 23, 2019; 87 FR 2334, Jan. 14, 2022; 88 FR 2215, Jan. 13, 2023; 88 FR 57734, Aug. 23, 2023; 89 FR 1815, Jan. 11, 2024; 90 FR 1859, Jan. 10, 2025] § 5.6 Enforcement. (a) Agency responsibilities. (ii) If a contract subject to the labor standards provisions of the applicable statutes referenced by § 5.1 is entered into without the incorporation of the clauses required by § 5.5, the agency must, upon the request of the Administrator or upon its own initiative, either terminate and resolicit the contract with the required contract clauses, or incorporate the required clauses into the contract (or ensure they are so incorporated) through supplemental agreement, change order, or any and all authority that may be needed. Where an agency has not entered directly into such a contract but instead has provided Federal financial assistance, the agency must ensure that the recipient or sub-recipient of the Federal assistance similarly incorporates the clauses required into its contracts. The method of incorporation of the correct wage determination, and adjustment in contract price, where appropriate, should be in accordance with applicable law. Additionally, the following requirements apply: (A) Unless the Administrator directs otherwise, the incorporation of the clauses required by § 5.5 must be retroactive to the date of contract award or start of construction if there is no award. (B) If this incorporation occurs as the result of a request from the Administrator, the incorporation must take place within 30 days of the date of that request, unless the agency has obtained an extension from the Administrator. (C) The contractor must be compensated for any increases in wages resulting from incorporation of a missing contract clause. (D) If the recipient refuses to incorporate the clauses as required, the agency must make no further payment, advance, grant, loan, or guarantee of funds in connection with the contract until the recipient incorporates the required clauses into its contract, and must promptly refer the dispute to the Administrator for further proceedings under § 5.13. (E) Before terminating a contract pursuant to this section, the agency must withhold or cross-withhold sufficient funds to remedy any back wage liability resulting from the failure to incorporate the correct wage determination or otherwise identify and obligate sufficient funds through a termination settlement agreement, bond, or other satisfactory mechanism. (F) Notwithstanding the requirement to incorporate the contract clauses and correct wage determination within 30 days, the contract clauses and correct wage determination will be effective by operation of law, retroactive to the beginning of construction, in accordance with § 5.5(e). (2)(i) Certified payrolls submitted pursuant to § 5.5(a)(3)(ii) must be preserved by the Federal agency for a period of 3 years after all the work on the prime contract is completed, and must be produced at the request of the Department of Labor at any time during the 3-year period, regardless of whether the Department of Labor has initiated an investigation or other compliance action. (ii) In situations where the Federal agency does not itself maintain certified payrolls required to be submitted pursuant to § 5.5(a)(3)(ii), upon the request of the Department of Labor the Federal agency must ensure that such certified payrolls are provided to the Department of Labor. Such certified payrolls may be provided by the applicant, sponsor, owner, or other entity, as the case may be, directly to the Department of Labor, or to the Federal agency which, in turn, must provide those records to the Department of Labor. (3) The Federal agency will cause such investigations to be made as may be necessary to assure compliance with the labor standards clauses required by § 5.5 and the applicable statutes referenced in § 5.1. Investigations will be made of all contracts with such frequency as may be necessary to assure compliance. Such investigations will include interviews with workers, which must be taken in confidence, and examinations of certified payrolls, regular payrolls, and other basic records required to be maintained under § 5.5(a)(3). In making such examinations, particular care must be taken to determine the correctness of classification(s) of work actually performed, and to determine whether there is a disproportionate amount of work by laborers and of apprentices registered in approved programs. Such investigations must also include evidence of fringe benefit plans and payments thereunder. Federal agencies must give priority to complaints of alleged violations. (4) In accordance with normal operating procedures, the contracting agency may be furnished various investigatory material from the investigation files of the Department of Labor. None of the material, other than computations of back wages, liquidated damages, and monetary relief for violations of § 5.5(a)(11) or (b)(5), and the summary of back wages due, may be disclosed in any manner to anyone other than Federal officials charged with administering the contract or program providing Federal assistance to the contract, without requesting the permission and views of the Department of Labor. (b) Department of Labor investigations and other compliance actions. (2) Federal agencies, contractors, subcontractors, sponsors, applicants, owners, or other entities, as the case may be, must cooperate with any authorized representative of the Department of Labor in the inspection of records, in interviews with workers, and in all other aspects of the investigations or other compliance actions. (3) The findings of such an investigation or other compliance action, including amounts found due, may not be altered or reduced without the approval of the Department of Labor. (4) Where the underpayments disclosed by such an investigation or other compliance action total $1,000 or more, where there is reason to believe that the contractor or subcontractor has disregarded its obligations to workers or subcontractors, or where liquidated damages may be assessed under CWHSSA, the Department of Labor will furnish the Federal agency an enforcement report detailing the labor standards violations disclosed by the investigation or other compliance action and any action taken by the contractor or subcontractor to correct the violations, including any payment of back wages or any other relief provided workers or remedial actions taken for violations of § 5.5(a)(11) or (b)(5). In other circumstances, the Department of Labor will furnish the Federal agency a notification summarizing the findings of the investigation or other compliance action. (c) Confidentiality requirements. [88 FR 57739, Aug. 23, 2023] § 5.7 Reports to the Secretary of Labor. (a) Enforcement reports. (2) Where underpayments by a contractor or subcontractor total $1,000 or more, or where there is reason to believe that the contractor or subcontractor has disregarded its obligations to workers or subcontractors, the Federal agency will furnish within 60 days after completion of its investigation, a detailed enforcement report to the Administrator. (b) Semi-annual enforcement reports. (c) Additional information. (d) Contract termination. [48 FR 19540, Apr. 29, 1983, as amended at 88 FR 57734, Aug. 23, 2023] § 5.8 Liquidated damages under the Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act. (a) The Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act requires that laborers or mechanics shall be paid wages at a rate not less than one and one-half times the basic rate of pay for all hours worked in excess of forty hours in any workweek. In the event of violation of this provision, the contractor and any subcontractor shall be liable for the unpaid wages and in addition for liquidated damages, computed with respect to each laborer or mechanic employed in violation of the Act in the amount of $33 for each calendar day in the workweek on which such individual was required or permitted to work in excess of forty hours without payment of required overtime wages. Any contractor of subcontractor aggrieved by the withholding of liquidated damages shall have the right to appeal to the head of the agency of the United States (or the territory of District of Columbia, as appropriate) for which the contract work was performed or for which financial assistance was provided. (b) Findings and recommendations of the Agency Head. (c) The recommendations of the Agency Head for adjustment or relief from liquidated damages under paragraph (a) of this section shall be reviewed by the Administrator or an authorized representative who shall issue an order concurring in the recommendations, partially concurring in the recommendations, or rejecting the recommendations, and the reasons therefor. The order shall be the final decision of the Department of Labor, unless a petition for review is filed pursuant to part 7 of this title, and the Administrative Review Board in its discretion reviews such decision and order; or, with respect to contracts subject to the Service Contract Act, unless petition for review is filed pursuant to part 8 of this title, and the Administrative Review Board in its discretion reviews such decision and order. (d) Whenever the Agency Head finds that a sum of liquidated damages administratively determined to be due under section 104(a) of the Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act for a contract is $500 or less and the Agency Head finds that the sum of liquidated damages is incorrect or that the contractor or subcontractor violated inadvertently the provisions of the Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act notwithstanding the exercise of due care upon the part of the contractor or subcontractor involved, an appropriate adjustment may be made in such liquidated damages or the contractor or subcontractor may be relieved of liability for such liquidated damages without submitting recommendations to this effect or a report to the Department of Labor. This delegation of authority is made under section 105 of the Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act and has been found to be necessary and proper in the public interest to prevent undue hardship and to avoid serious impairment of the conduct of Government business. [48 FR 19541, Apr. 29, 1983, as amended at 51 FR 12265, Apr. 9, 1986; 51 FR 13496, Apr. 21, 1986; 81 FR 43450, July 1, 2016; 83 FR 12, Jan. 2, 2018; 84 FR 218, Jan. 23, 2019; 87 FR 2334, Jan. 14, 2022; 88 FR 2215, Jan. 13, 2023; 89 FR 1815, Jan. 11, 2024; 90 FR 1859, Jan. 10, 2025] § 5.9 Suspension of funds. (a) Suspension and withholding. (b) Cross-withholding. (c) Cross-withholding from different legal entities. [88 FR 57740, Aug. 23, 2023] § 5.10 Restitution, criminal action. (a) In cases other than those forwarded to the Attorney General of the United States under paragraph (b) of this section where violations of the labor standards clauses contained in § 5.5 and the applicable statutes referenced by § 5.1 result in underpayment of wages to workers or monetary damages caused by violations of § 5.5(a)(11) or (b)(5), the Federal agency or an authorized representative of the Department of Labor will request that restitution be made to such workers or on their behalf to plans, funds, or programs for any type of bona fide fringe benefits within the meaning of 40 U.S.C. 3141(2)(B), including interest from the date of the underpayment or loss. Interest on any back wages or monetary relief provided for in this part will be calculated using the percentage established for the underpayment of taxes under 26 U.S.C. 6621 and will be compounded daily. (b) In cases where the Agency Head or the Administrator finds substantial evidence that such violations are willful and in violation of a criminal statute, the matter will be forwarded to the Attorney General of the United States for prosecution if the facts warrant. In all such cases the Administrator will be informed simultaneously of the action taken. [88 FR 57741, Aug. 23, 2023] § 5.11 Disputes concerning payment of wages. (a) This section sets forth the procedure for resolution of disputes of fact or law concerning payment of prevailing wage rates, overtime pay, proper classification, or monetary relief for violations of § 5.5(a)(11) or (b)(5). The procedures in this section may be initiated upon the Administrator's own motion, upon referral of the dispute by a Federal agency pursuant to § 5.5(a)(9), or upon request of the contractor or subcontractor. (b)(1) In the event of a dispute described in paragraph (a) of this section in which it appears that relevant facts are at issue, the Administrator will notify the affected contractor and subcontractor, if any, by registered or certified mail to the last known address or by any other means normally assuring delivery, of the investigation findings. If the Administrator determines that there is reasonable cause to believe that either the contractor, the subcontractor, or both, should also be subject to debarment under the Davis-Bacon Act or any of the other applicable statutes referenced by § 5.1, the notification will so indicate. (2) A contractor or subcontractor desiring a hearing concerning the Administrator's investigation findings must request such a hearing by letter or by any other means normally assuring delivery, sent within 30 days of the date of the Administrator's notification. The request must set forth those findings which are in dispute and the reasons therefor, including any affirmative defenses. (3) Upon receipt of a timely request for a hearing, the Administrator will refer the case to the Chief Administrative Law Judge by Order of Reference, with an attached copy of the notification from the Administrator and the response of the contractor or subcontractor, for designation of an Administrative Law Judge to conduct such hearings as may be necessary to resolve the disputed matters. The hearings will be conducted in accordance with the procedures set forth in part 6 of this subtitle. (c)(1) In the event of a dispute described in paragraph (a) of this section in which it appears that there are no relevant facts at issue, and where there is not at that time reasonable cause to institute debarment proceedings under § 5.12, the Administrator will notify the contractor and subcontractor, if any, by registered or certified mail to the last known address or by any other means normally assuring delivery, of the investigation findings, and will issue a ruling on any issues of law known to be in dispute. (2)(i) If the contractor or subcontractor disagrees with the factual findings of the Administrator or believes that there are relevant facts in dispute, the contractor or subcontractor must advise the Administrator by letter or by any other means normally assuring delivery, sent within 30 days of the date of the Administrator's notification. In the response, the contractor or subcontractor must explain in detail the facts alleged to be in dispute and attach any supporting documentation. (ii) Upon receipt of a response under paragraph (c)(2)(i) of this section alleging the existence of a factual dispute, the Administrator will examine the information submitted. If the Administrator determines that there is a relevant issue of fact, the Administrator will refer the case to the Chief Administrative Law Judge in accordance with paragraph (b)(3) of this section. If the Administrator determines that there is no relevant issue of fact, the Administrator will so rule and advise the contractor and subcontractor, if any, accordingly. (3) If the contractor or subcontractor desires review of the ruling issued by the Administrator under paragraph (c)(1) or (2) of this section, the contractor or subcontractor must file a petition for review thereof with the Administrative Review Board within 30 days of the date of the ruling, with a copy thereof to the Administrator. The petition for review must be filed in accordance with part 7 of this subtitle. (d) If a timely response to the Administrator's findings or ruling is not made or a timely petition for review is not filed, the Administrator's findings or ruling will be final, except that with respect to debarment under the Davis-Bacon Act, the Administrator will advise the Comptroller General of the Administrator's recommendation in accordance with § 5.12(a)(2). If a timely response or petition for review is filed, the findings or ruling of the Administrator will be inoperative unless and until the decision is upheld by the Administrative Law Judge or the Administrative Review Board. [88 FR 57741, Aug. 23, 2023] § 5.12 Debarment proceedings. (a) Debarment standard and ineligible list. (2) In cases arising under contracts covered by the Davis-Bacon Act, the Administrator will transmit to the Comptroller General the name(s) of the contractors or subcontractors and their responsible officers, if any, and any firms, corporations, partnerships, or associations in which the contractors, subcontractors, or responsible officers are known to have an interest, who have been found to have disregarded their obligations to workers or subcontractors, and the recommendation of the Secretary of Labor or authorized representative regarding debarment. In cases arising under contracts covered by any of the applicable statutes referenced by § 5.1 other than the Davis-Bacon Act, the Administrator determines the name(s) of the contractors or subcontractors and their responsible officers, if any, and any firms, corporations, partnerships, or associations in which the contractors, subcontractors, or responsible officers are known to have an interest, to be debarred. The names of such ineligible persons or firms will be published on SAM or its successor website, and an ineligible person or firm will be ineligible for a period of 3 years from the date of publication of their name on the ineligible list, to be awarded any contract or subcontract of the United States or the District of Columbia and any contract or subcontract subject to the labor standards provisions of any of the statutes referenced by § 5.1. (b) Procedure. (i) The Administrator will afford such contractor, subcontractor, responsible officer, and any other parties notified an opportunity for a hearing as to whether debarment action should be taken under paragraph (a) of this section. The Administrator will furnish to those notified a summary of the investigative findings. (ii) If the contractor, subcontractor, responsible officer, or any other parties notified wish to request a hearing as to whether debarment action should be taken, such a request must be made by letter or by any other means normally assuring delivery, sent within 30 days of the date of the notification from the Administrator, and must set forth any findings which are in dispute and the basis for such disputed findings, including any affirmative defenses to be raised. (iii) Upon timely receipt of such request for a hearing, the Administrator will refer the case to the Chief Administrative Law Judge by Order of Reference, with an attached copy of the notification from the Administrator and the responses of the contractor, subcontractor, responsible officers, or any other parties notified, for designation of an Administrative Law Judge to conduct such hearings as may be necessary to determine the matters in dispute. (iv) In considering debarment under any of the statutes referenced by § 5.1 other than the Davis-Bacon Act, the Administrative Law Judge will issue an order concerning whether the contractor, subcontractor, responsible officer, or any other party notified is to be debarred in accordance with paragraph (a) of this section. In considering debarment under the Davis-Bacon Act, the Administrative Law Judge will issue a recommendation as to whether the contractor, subcontractor, responsible officers, or any other party notified should be debarred under 40 U.S.C. 3144(b). (2) Hearings under this section will be conducted in accordance with part 6 of this subtitle. If no hearing is requested within 30 days of the date of the notification from the Administrator, the Administrator's findings will be final, except with respect to recommendations regarding debarment under the Davis-Bacon Act, as set forth in paragraph (a)(2) of this section. (c) Interests of debarred parties. (2)(i) The Administrator, on their own motion or after receipt of a request for a determination pursuant to paragraph (c)(3) of this section, may make a finding on the issue of interest. (ii) If the Administrator determines that there may be an interest but finds that there is insufficient evidence to render a final ruling thereon, the Administrator may refer the issue to the Chief Administrative Law Judge in accordance with paragraph (c)(4) of this section. (iii) If the Administrator finds that no interest exists, or that there is not sufficient information to warrant the initiation of an investigation, the requesting party, if any, will be so notified and no further action taken. (iv)(A) If the Administrator finds that an interest exists, the person or firm affected will be notified of the Administrator's finding (by certified mail to the last known address or by any other means normally assuring delivery), which will include the reasons therefore, and such person or firm will be afforded an opportunity to request that a hearing be held to decide the issue. (B) Such person or firm will have 20 days from the date of the Administrator's ruling to request a hearing. A person or firm desiring a hearing must request it by letter or by any other means normally assuring delivery, sent within 20 days of the date of the Administrator's notification. A detailed statement of the reasons why the Administrator's ruling is in error, including facts alleged to be in dispute, if any, must be submitted with the request for a hearing. (C) If no hearing is requested within the time mentioned in paragraph (c)(2)(iv)(B) of this section, the Administrator's finding will be final and the Administrator will notify the Comptroller General in cases arising under the DBA. If a hearing is requested, the ruling of the Administrator will be inoperative unless and until the Administrative Law Judge or the Administrative Review Board issues an order that there is an interest. (3)(i) A request for a determination of interest may be made by any interested party, including contractors or prospective contractors and associations of contractors, representatives of workers, and interested agencies. Such a request must be submitted in writing to the Administrator, Wage and Hour Division, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20210. (ii) The request must include a statement setting forth in detail why the petitioner believes that a person or firm whose name appears on the ineligible list has an interest in any firm, corporation, partnership, or association that is seeking or has been awarded a contract or subcontract of the United States or the District of Columbia, or a contract or subcontract that is subject to the labor standards provisions of any of the statutes referenced by § 5.1. No particular form is prescribed for the submission of a request under this section. (4) The Administrator, on their own motion under paragraph (c)(2)(ii) of this section or upon a request for hearing where the Administrator determines that relevant facts are in dispute, will by order refer the issue to the Chief Administrative Law Judge, for designation of an Administrative Law Judge who will conduct such hearings as may be necessary to render a decision solely on the issue of interest. Such proceedings must be conducted in accordance with the procedures set forth in part 6 of this subtitle. (5) If the person or firm affected requests a hearing and the Administrator determines that relevant facts are not in dispute, the Administrator will refer the issue and the record compiled thereon to the Administrative Review Board to render a decision solely on the issue of interest. Such proceeding must be conducted in accordance with the procedures set forth in part 7 of this subtitle. [88 FR 57741, Aug. 23, 2023] § 5.13 Rulings and interpretations. (a) All questions relating to the application and interpretation of wage determinations (including the classifications therein) issued pursuant to part 1 of this subtitle, of the rules contained in this part and in parts 1 and 3 of this subtitle, and of the labor standards provisions of any of the laws referenced in § 5.1 must be referred to the Administrator for appropriate ruling or interpretation. These rulings and interpretations are authoritative and those under the Davis-Bacon Act may be relied upon as provided for in section 10 of the Portal-to-Portal Act of 1947 (29 U.S.C. 259). Requests for such rulings and interpretations should be submitted via email to [email protected] (b) If any such ruling or interpretation is made by an authorized representative of the Administrator of the Wage and Hour Division, any interested party may seek reconsideration of the ruling or interpretation by the Administrator of the Wage and Hour Division. The procedures and time limits set out in § 1.8 of this subtitle apply to any such request for reconsideration. [88 FR 57743, Aug. 23, 2023] § 5.14 Variations, tolerances, and exemptions from parts 1 and 3 of this subtitle and this part. The Secretary of Labor may make variations, tolerances, and exemptions from the regulatory requirements of this part and those of parts 1 and 3 of this subtitle whenever the Secretary finds that such action is necessary and proper in the public interest or to prevent injustice and undue hardship. Variations, tolerances, and exemptions may not be made from the statutory requirements of any of the statutes listed in § 5.1 unless the statute specifically provides such authority. § 5.15 Limitations, variations, tolerances, and exemptions under the Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act. (a) General. (b) Exemptions. (1) Contract work performed in a workplace within a foreign country or within territory under the jurisdiction of the United States other than the following: A State of the United States; the District of Columbia; Puerto Rico; the Virgin Islands; Outer Continental Shelf lands defined in the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (ch. 345, 67 Stat. 462); American Samoa; Guam; Wake Island; Eniwetok Atoll; Kwajalein Atoll; and Johnston Island. (2) Agreements entered into by or on behalf of the Commodity Credit Corporation providing for the storing in or handling by commercial warehouses of wheat, corn, oats, barley, rye, grain sorghums, soybeans, flaxseed, rice, naval stores, tobacco, peanuts, dry beans, seeds, cotton, and wool. (3) Sales of surplus power by the Tennessee Valley Authority to States, counties, municipalities, cooperative organization of citizens or farmers, corporations and other individuals pursuant to section 10 of the Tennessee Valley Authority Act of 1933 (16 U.S.C. 8311). (c) Tolerances. (2) Concerning the tolerance provided in paragraph (c)(1) of this section, the provisions of section 7(d)(2) of the Fair Labor Standards Act and § 778.7 of this title should be noted. Under these provisions, payments for occasional periods when no work is performed, due to vacations, and similar causes are excludable from the “regular rate” under the Fair Labor Standards Act. Such payments, therefore, are also excludable from the “basic rate” under the Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act. (3) See § 5.8(c) providing a tolerance subdelegating authority to the heads of agencies to make appropriate adjustments in the assessment of liquidated damages totaling $500 or less under specified circumstances. (4)(i) Time spent in an organized program of related, supplemental instruction by laborers or mechanics employed under bona fide apprenticeship programs may be excluded from working time if the criteria prescribed in paragraphs (c)(4)(ii) and (iii) of this section are met. (ii) The apprentice comes within the definition contained in § 5.2. (iii) The time in question does not involve productive work or performance of the apprentice's regular duties. (d) Variations. (2) In the performance of any contract entered into pursuant to the provisions of 38 U.S.C. 620 to provide nursing home care of veterans, no contractor or subcontractor under such contract shall be deemed in violation of section 102 of the Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act by virtue of failure to pay the overtime wages required by such section for work in excess of 40 hours in the workweek to any individual employed by an establishment which is an institution primarily engaged in the care of the sick, the aged, or the mentally ill or defective who reside on the premises if, pursuant to an agreement or understanding arrived at between the employer and the employee before performance of the work, a work period of 14 consecutive days is accepted in lieu of the workweek of 7 consecutive days for the purpose of overtime compensation and if such individual receives compensation for employment in excess of 8 hours in any workday and in excess of 80 hours in such 14-day period at a rate not less than 1 1/2 (3) Any contractor or subcontractor performing on a government contract the principal purpose of which is the furnishing of fire fighting or suppression and related services, shall not be deemed to be in violation of section 102 of the Contract Work Hour and Safety Standards Act for failing to pay the overtime compensation required by section 102 of the Act in accordance with the basic rate of pay as defined in paragraph (c)(1) of this section, to any pilot or copilot of a fixed-wing or rotary-wing aircraft employed on such contract if: (i) Pursuant to a written employment agreement between the contractor and the employee which is arrived at before performance of the work. (A) The employee receives gross wages of not less than $300 per week regardless of the total number of hours worked in any workweek, and (B) Within any workweek the total wages which an employee receives are not less than the wages to which the employee would have been entitled in that workweek if the employee were paid the minimum hourly wage required under the contract pursuant to the provisions of the Service Contract Act of 1965 and any applicable wage determination issued thereunder for all hours worked, plus an additional premium payment of one-half times such minimum hourly wage for all hours worked in excess of 40 hours in the workweek; (ii) The contractor maintains accurate records of the total daily and weekly hours of work performed by such employee on the government contract. In the event these conditions for the exemption are not met, the requirements of section 102 of the Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act shall be applicable to the contract from the date the contractor or subcontractor fails to satisfy the conditions until completion of the contract. (Reporting and recordkeeping requirements in paragraph (d)(2) have been approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control numbers 1235-0023 and 1235-0018. Reporting and recordkeeping requirements in paragraph (d)(3)(ii) have been approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control number 1235-0018) [48 FR 19541, Apr. 29, 1983, as amended at 51 FR 12265, Apr. 9, 1986; 61 FR 40716, Aug. 5, 1996; 82 FR 2226, Jan. 9, 2017; 88 FR 57743, Aug. 23, 2023] § 5.16 [Reserved] § 5.17 [Reserved] § 5.18 Remedies for retaliation. (a) Administrator request to remedy violation. (b) Administrator directive to remedy violation and provide make-whole relief. (c) Examples of available make-whole relief and remedial actions. [88 FR 57743, Aug. 23, 2023] Subpart B—Interpretation of the Fringe Benefits Provisions of the Davis-Bacon Act Source: 29 FR 13465, Sept. 30, 1964, unless otherwise noted. § 5.20 Scope and significance of this subpart. The 1964 amendments (Pub. L. 88-349) to the Davis-Bacon Act require, among other things, that the prevailing wage determined for Federal and federally assisted construction include the basic hourly rate of pay and the amount contributed by the contractor or subcontractor for certain fringe benefits (or the cost to them of such benefits). The purpose of this subpart is to explain the provisions of these amendments and make available in one place official interpretations of the fringe benefits provisions of the Davis-Bacon Act. These interpretations will guide the Department of Labor in carrying out its responsibilities under these provisions. These interpretations are intended also to provide guidance to contractors and their associations; laborers and mechanics and their organizations; and local, State, and Federal agencies. The interpretations contained in this subpart are authoritative and may be relied upon as provided for in section 10 of the Portal-to-Portal Act of 1947 (29 U.S.C. 259). The omission to discuss a particular problem in this subpart or in interpretations supplementing it should not be taken to indicate the adoption of any position by the Secretary of Labor with respect to such problem or to constitute an administrative interpretation, practice, or enforcement policy. Questions on matters not fully covered by this subpart may be referred to the Secretary for interpretation as provided in § 5.13. [88 FR 57743, Aug. 23, 2023] § 5.21 [Reserved] § 5.22 Effect of the Davis-Bacon fringe benefits provisions. The Davis-Bacon Act and the prevailing wage provisions of the statutes referenced in § 1.1 of this subtitle confer upon the Secretary of Labor the authority to predetermine, as minimum wages, those wage rates found to be prevailing for corresponding classes of laborers and mechanics employed on projects of a character similar to the contract work in the area in which the work is to be performed. See the definitions of the terms “prevailing wage” and “area” in § 1.2 of this subtitle. The fringe benefits amendments enlarge the scope of this authority by including certain bona fide fringe benefits within the meaning of the terms “wages”, “scale of wages”, “wage rates”, “minimum wages”, and “prevailing wages”, as used in the Davis-Bacon Act. [88 FR 57744, Aug. 23, 2023] § 5.23 The statutory provisions. Pursuant to the Davis-Bacon Act, as amended and codified at 40 U.S.C. 3141(2), the term “prevailing wages” and similar terms include the basic hourly rate of pay and, for the listed fringe benefits and other bona fide fringe benefits not required by other law, the contributions irrevocably made by a contractor or subcontractor to a trustee or third party pursuant to a bona fide fringe benefit fund, plan, or program, and the costs to the contractor or subcontractor that may be reasonably anticipated in providing bona fide fringe benefits pursuant to an enforceable commitment to carry out a financially responsible plan or program, which was communicated in writing to the affected laborers and mechanics. Section 5.29 discusses specific fringe benefits that may be considered to be bona fide. [88 FR 57744, Aug. 23, 2023] § 5.24 The basic hourly rate of pay. “The basic hourly rate of pay” is that part of a laborer's or mechanic's wages which the Secretary of Labor would have found and included in wage determinations prior to the 1964 amendments. The Secretary of Labor is required to continue to make a separate finding of this portion of the wage. In general, this portion of the wage is the cash payment made directly to the laborer or mechanic. It does not include fringe benefits. § 5.25 Rate of contribution or cost for fringe benefits. (a) Under the amendments, the Secretary is obligated to make a separate finding of the rate of contribution or cost of fringe benefits. Only the amount of contributions or costs for fringe benefits which meet the requirements of the act will be considered by the Secretary. These requirements are discussed in this subpart. (b) The rate of contribution or cost is ordinarily an hourly rate, and will be reflected in the wage determination as such. In some cases, however, the contribution or cost for certain fringe benefits may be expressed in a formula or method of payment other than an hourly rate. In such cases, the Secretary may in his discretion express in the wage determination the rate of contribution or cost used in the formula or method or may convert it to an hourly rate of pay whenever he finds that such action would facilitate the administration of the Act. See § 5.5(a)(1)(i) and (iii). (c) Except as provided in this section, contractors must “annualize” all contributions to fringe benefit plans (or the reasonably anticipated costs of an unfunded benefit plan) to determine the hourly equivalent for which they may take credit against their fringe benefit obligation. The “annualization” principle reflects that DBRA credit for contributions made to bona fide fringe benefit plans (or the reasonably anticipated costs of an unfunded benefit plan) is allowed based on the effective rate of contributions or costs incurred for total hours worked during the year (or a shorter time period) by a laborer or mechanic. (1) Method of computation. (2) Exception requests. i.e., [email protected] (3) Exception requirements. (i) The benefit provided is not continuous in nature. A benefit is not continuous in nature when it is not available to a participant without penalty throughout the year or other time period to which the cost of the benefit is attributable; and (ii) The benefit does not compensate both private work and DBRA-covered work. A benefit does not compensate both private and DBRA-covered work if any benefits attributable to periods of private work are wholly paid for by compensation for private work. [29 FR 13465, Sept. 30, 1964, as amended at 88 FR 57744, Aug. 23, 2023] § 5.26 “* * * contribution irrevocably made * * * to a trustee or to a third person”. (a) Requirements. (1) Such contributions must be made irrevocably; (2) The trustee or third person may not be affiliated with the contractor or subcontractor; (3) A trustee must adhere to any fiduciary responsibilities applicable under law; and (4) The trust or fund must not permit the contractor or subcontractor to recapture any of the contributions paid in or any way divert the funds to its own use or benefit. (b) Excess payments. See [88 FR 57744, Aug. 23, 2023] § 5.27 “* * * fund, plan, or program”. The contributions for fringe benefits must be made pursuant to a fund, plan or program (sec. 1(b)(2)(A) of the act). The phrase “fund, plan, or program” is merely intended to recognize the various types of arrangements commonly used to provide fringe benefits through employer contributions. The phrase is identical with language contained in section 3(1) of the Welfare and Pension Plans Disclosure Act. In interpreting this phrase, the Secretary will be guided by the experience of the Department in administering the latter statute. (See Report of Senate Committee on Labor and Public Welfare, S. Rep. No. 963, 88th Cong., 2d Sess., p. 5.) § 5.28 Unfunded plans. (a) The costs to a contractor or subcontractor which may be reasonably anticipated in providing benefits of the types described in the Act, pursuant to an enforceable commitment to carry out a financially responsible plan or program, are considered fringe benefits within the meaning of the Act ( see see also (b) Such a benefit plan or program, commonly referred to as an unfunded plan, may not constitute a fringe benefit within the meaning of the Act unless: (1) It could be reasonably anticipated to provide the benefits described in the Act; (2) It represents a commitment that can be legally enforced; (3) It is carried out under a financially responsible plan or program; (4) The plan or program providing the benefits has been communicated in writing to the laborers and mechanics affected; and (5) The contractor or subcontractor requests and receives approval of the plan or program from the Secretary, as described in paragraph (c) of this section. (c) To receive approval of an unfunded plan or program, a contractor or subcontractor must demonstrate in its request to the Secretary that the unfunded plan or program, and the benefits provided under such plan or program, are “bona fide,” meet the requirements set forth in paragraphs (b)(1) through (4) of this section, and are otherwise consistent with the Act. The request must include sufficient documentation to enable the Secretary to evaluate these criteria. Contractors and subcontractors may request approval of an unfunded plan or program by submitting a written request in one of the following manners: (1) By mail to the United States Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division, Director, Division of Government Contracts Enforcement, 200 Constitution Ave. NW, Room S-3502, Washington, DC 20210; (2) By email to [email protected] (3) By any other means directed by the Administrator. (d) Unfunded plans or programs may not be used as a means of avoiding the Act's requirements. The words “reasonably anticipated” require that any unfunded plan or program be able to withstand a test of actuarial soundness. Moreover, as in the case of other fringe benefits payable under the Act, an unfunded plan or program must be “bona fide” and not a mere simulation or sham for avoiding compliance with the Act. To prevent these provisions from being used to avoid compliance with the Act, the Secretary may direct a contractor or subcontractor to set aside in an account assets which, under sound actuarial principles, will be sufficient to meet future obligations under the plan. Such an account must be preserved for the purpose intended. (S. Rep. No. 963, p. 6.) [88 FR 57744, Aug. 23, 2023] § 5.29 Specific fringe benefits. (a) The act lists all types of fringe benefits which the Congress considered to be common in the construction industry as a whole. These include the following: Medical or hospital care, pensions on retirement or death, compensation for injuries or illness resulting from occupational activity, or insurance to provide any of the foregoing, unemployment benefits, life insurance, disability and sickness insurance, or accident insurance, vacation and holiday pay, defrayment of costs of apprenticeship or other similar programs, or other bona fide fringe benefits, but only where the contractor or subcontractor is not required by other Federal, State, or local law to provide any of such benefits. (b) The legislative history indicates that it was not the intent of the Congress to impose specific standards relating to administration of fringe benefits. It was assumed that the majority of fringe benefits arrangements of this nature will be those which are administered in accordance with requirements of section 302(c)(5) of the National Labor Relations Act, as amended (S. Rep. No. 963, p. 5). (c) The term “other bona fide fringe benefits” is the so-called “open end” provision. This was included so that new fringe benefits may be recognized by the Secretary as they become prevailing. It was pointed out that a particular fringe benefit need not be recognized beyond a particular area in order for the Secretary to find that it is prevailing in that area. (S. Rep. No. 963, p. 6). (d) The legislative reports indicate that, to insure against considering and giving credit to any and all fringe benefits, some of which might be illusory or not genuine, the qualification was included that such fringe benefits must be “bona fide” (H. Rep. No. 308, p. 4; S. Rep. No. 963, p. 6). No difficulty is anticipated in determining whether a particular fringe benefit is “bona fide” in the ordinary case where the benefits are those common in the construction industry and which are established under a usual fund, plan, or program. This would be typically the case of those fringe benefits listed in paragraph (a) of this section which are funded under a trust or insurance program. Contractors may take credit for contributions made under such conventional plans without requesting the approval of the Secretary of Labor under § 5.5(a)(1)(iv). (e) Where the plan is not of the conventional type described in paragraph (d) of this section, the Secretary must examine the facts and circumstances to determine whether fringe benefits under the plan are “bona fide” in accordance with requirements of the Act. This is particularly true with respect to unfunded plans discussed in § 5.28. Contractors or subcontractors seeking credit under the Act for costs incurred for such plans must request specific approval from the Secretary under § 5.5(a)(1)(iv). (f) The act excludes fringe benefits which a contractor or subcontractor is obligated to provide under other Federal, State, or local law. No credit may be taken under the act for the payments made for such benefits. For example, payment for workmen's compensation insurance under either a compulsory or elective State statute are not considered payments for fringe benefits under the Act. While each situation must be separately considered on its own merits, payments made for travel, subsistence or to industry promotion funds are not normally payments for fringe benefits under the Act. The omission in the Act of any express reference to these payments, which are common in the construction industry, suggests that these payments should not normally be regarded as bona fide fringe benefits under the Act. (g) For a contractor or subcontractor to take credit for the costs of an apprenticeship program, the following requirements must be met: (1) The program, in addition to meeting all other relevant requirements for fringe benefits in this subpart, must be registered with the Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration, Office of Apprenticeship (“OA”), or with a State Apprenticeship Agency recognized by the OA. (2) The contractor or subcontractor may only take credit for amounts reasonably related to the costs of the apprenticeship benefits actually provided to the contractor's employees, such as instruction, books, and tools or materials. It may not take credit for voluntary contributions beyond such costs. Amounts the employer is required to contribute by a collective bargaining agreement or by a bona fide apprenticeship plan will be presumed to be reasonably related to such costs in the absence of evidence to the contrary. (3) Costs incurred for the apprenticeship for one classification of laborer or mechanic may not be used to offset costs incurred for another classification. (4) In applying the annualization principle to compute the allowable fringe benefit credit pursuant to § 5.25, the total number of working hours of employees to which the cost of an apprenticeship program is attributable is limited to the total number of hours worked by laborers and mechanics in the apprentice's classification. For example, if a contractor enrolls an employee in an apprenticeship program for carpenters, the permissible hourly Davis-Bacon credit is determined by dividing the cost of the program by the total number of hours worked by the contractor's carpenters and carpenters' apprentices on covered and non-covered projects during the time period to which the cost is attributable, and such credit may only be applied against the contractor's prevailing wage obligations for all carpenters and carpenters' apprentices for each hour worked on the covered project. [29 FR 13465, Sept. 30, 1964, as amended at 88 FR 57745, Aug. 23, 2023] § 5.30 Types of wage determinations. (a) When fringe benefits are prevailing for various classes of laborers and mechanics in the area of proposed construction, such benefits are includable in any Davis-Bacon wage determination. The examples contained in paragraph (c) of this section demonstrate how fringe benefits may be listed on wage determinations in such cases. (b) Wage determinations do not include fringe benefits for various classes of laborers and mechanics whenever such benefits do not prevail in the area of proposed construction. When this occurs, the wage determination will contain only the basic hourly rates of pay which are prevailing for the various classes of laborers and mechanics. An illustration of this situation is contained in paragraph (c) of this section. (c) The following illustrates examples of the situations discussed in paragraph (a) and (b) of this section: Figure 1 to Paragraph (c) [88 FR 57745, Aug. 23, 2023] § 5.31 Meeting wage determination obligations. (a) A contractor or subcontractor performing work subject to a Davis-Bacon wage determination may discharge their minimum wage obligations for the payment of both straight time wages and fringe benefits by paying in cash, making payments or incurring costs for “bona fide” fringe benefits of the types listed in the applicable wage determination or otherwise found prevailing by the Secretary of Labor, or by a combination thereof. (b) A contractor or subcontractor may discharge their obligations for the payment of the basic hourly rates and the fringe benefits where both are contained in a wage determination applicable to their laborers or mechanics in the following ways: (1) By paying not less than the basic hourly rate to the laborers or mechanics and by making contributions for “bona fide” fringe benefits in a total amount not less than the total of the fringe benefits required by the wage determination. For example, the obligations for “Laborer: common or general” in § 5.30, figure 1 to paragraph (c), will be met by the payment of a straight time hourly rate of not less than $21.93 and by contributions of not less than a total of $6.27 an hour for “bona fide” fringe benefits; or (2) By paying in cash directly to laborers or mechanics for the basic hourly rate and by making an additional cash payment in lieu of the required benefits. For example, where an employer does not make payments or incur costs for fringe benefits, they would meet their obligations for “Laborer: common or general” in § 5.30, figure 1 to paragraph (c), by paying directly to the laborers a straight time hourly rate of not less than $28.60 ($21.93 basic hourly rate plus $6.27 for fringe benefits); or (3) As stated in paragraph (a) of this section, the contractor or subcontractor may discharge their minimum wage obligations for the payment of straight time wages and fringe benefits by a combination of the methods illustrated in paragraphs (b)(1) and (2) of this section. Thus, for example, their obligations for “Laborer: common or general” may be met by an hourly rate, partly in cash and partly in payments or costs for fringe benefits which total not less than $28.60 ($21.93 basic hourly rate plus $6.27 for fringe benefits). [88 FR 57746, Aug. 23, 2023] § 5.32 Overtime payments. (a) The act excludes amounts paid by a contractor or subcontractor for fringe benefits in the computation of overtime under the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act, and the Walsh-Healey Public Contracts Act whenever the overtime provisions of any of these statutes apply concurrently with the Davis-Bacon Act or its related prevailing wage statutes. It is clear from the legislative history that in no event can the regular or basic rate upon which premium pay for overtime is calculated under the aforementioned Federal statutes be less than the amount determined by the Secretary of Labor as the basic hourly rate (i.e. cash rate) under section 1(b)(1) of the Davis-Bacon Act. (See S. Rep. No. 963, p. 7.) Contributions by employees are not excluded from the regular or basic rate upon which overtime is computed under these statutes; that is, an employee's regular or basic straight-time rate is computed on his earnings before any deductions are made for the employee's contributions to fringe benefits. The contractor's contributions or costs for fringe benefits may be excluded in computing such rate so long as the exclusions do not reduce the regular or basic rate below the basic hourly rate contained in the wage determination. (b) The legislative report notes that the phrase “contributions irrevocably made by a contractor or subcontractor to a trustee or to a third person pursuant to a fund, plan, or program” was added to the bill in Committee. This language in essence conforms to the overtime provisions of section 7(d)(4) of the Fair Labor Standards Act, as amended. The intent of the committee was to prevent any avoidance of overtime requirements under existing law. See H. Rep. No. 308, p. 5. (c)(1) The act permits a contractor or subcontractor to pay a cash equivalent of any fringe benefits found prevailing by the Secretary of Labor. Such a cash equivalent would also be excludable in computing the regular or basic rate under the Federal overtime laws mentioned in paragraph (a). For example, the W construction contractor pays his laborers or mechanics $3.50 in cash under a wage determination of the Secretary of Labor which requires a basic hourly rate of $3 and a fringe benefit contribution of 50 cents. The contractor pays the 50 cents in cash because he made no payments and incurred no costs for fringe benefits. Overtime compensation in this case would be computed on a regular or basic rate of $3.00 an hour. However, in some cases a question of fact may be presented in ascertaining whether or not a cash payment made to laborers or mechanics is actually in lieu of a fringe benefit or is simply part of their straight time cash wage. In the latter situation, the cash payment is not excludable in computing overtime compensation. Consider the examples set forth in paragraphs (c)(2) and (3) of this section. (2) The X construction contractor has for some time been paying $3.25 an hour to a mechanic as his basic cash wage plus 50 cents an hour as a contribution to a welfare and pension plan. The Secretary of Labor determines that a basic hourly rate of $3 an hour and a fringe benefit contribution of 50 cents are prevailing. The basic hourly rate or regular rate for overtime purposes would be $3.25, the rate actually paid as a basic cash wage for the employee of X, rather than the $3 rate determined as prevailing by the Secretary of Labor. (3) Under the same prevailing wage determination, discussed in paragraph (c)(2) of this section, the Y construction contractor who has been paying $3 an hour as his basic cash wage on which he has been computing overtime compensation reduces the cash wage to $2.75 an hour but computes his costs of benefits under section 1(b)(2)(B) as $1 an hour. In this example the regular or basic hourly rate would continue to be $3 an hour. See S. Rep. No. 963, p. 7. § 5.33 Administrative expenses of a contractor or subcontractor. (a) Creditable costs. (b) Noncreditable costs. (c) Questions regarding administrative expenses. [88 FR 57747, Aug. 23, 2023] Subpart C—Severability Source: 88 FR 57747, Aug. 23, 2023, unless otherwise noted. § 5.40 Severability. The provisions of this part are separate and severable and operate independently from one another. If any provision of this part is held to be invalid or unenforceable by its terms, or as applied to any person or circumstance, or stayed pending further agency action, the provision is to be construed so as to continue to give the maximum effect to the provision permitted by law, unless such holding is one of utter invalidity or unenforceability, in which event the provision is severable from this part and will not affect the remaining provisions.