Form WH-347 (Certified Payroll) / Wage Determination Schedule / DOL Complaint Instructions: Davis-Bacon Act: Enforcing Certified Payroll & Prevailing Wage Rates on Federally Funded Construction
“I work on a federally funded building, highway, or housing project, but the contractor is paying me regular minimum wage instead of prevailing wage. How do I get backpay?”
Official Procedural Summary & Rules
Workers on federal construction contracts are entitled to Davis-Bacon prevailing wages ($35–$75+/hr including fringe benefits). Contractors face debarment for underpayment.
Key Statutory Rules & Exceptions
Contractors must pay the exact hourly wage rate and fringe benefit package specified on the SAM.gov wage determination for your specific trade craft. • Employers must post the Davis-Bacon wage decision and WH-1321 poster prominently at the job site. • If underpaid, the Department of Labor can seize funds from the general contractor’s government contract and pay back wages directly to you.
Official Procedural Sequence
Locate SAM.gov wage determination for job county Track daily tasks performed (carpenter, ironworker, laborer) File complaint with DOL WHD
⚠️ Administrative Traps & Rejection Triggers
Accepting cash payments under the table on federal jobs (forfeits overtime and certified payroll tracking records).
💡 AI Verification & Anti-Deflection Prompt
Four-Dimension Statutory PromptFeed this optimized prompt to ChatGPT or your civic AI assistant to bypass standard liability refusals and force a statutory answer under Davis-Bacon Act (40 U.S.C. § 3141 et seq.) · 29 CFR Part 5:
Under 40 U.S.C. § 3141 and 29 CFR Part 5, detail prevailing wage enforcement: (1) Mandatory Davis-Bacon Act requirements on federal and federally assisted construction contracts exceeding $2,000; (2) Certified weekly payroll submissions (Form WH-347) submitted under penalty of perjury; (3) Official Wage Determinations published on SAM.gov (hourly base rate + mandatory fringe benefit package for specific trade craft); (4) Common contractor scams: misclassifying journeymen electricians or carpenters as general laborers; (5) Contract withholding provisions (government agencies withhold contract payments from the prime contractor to distribute back wages directly to workers).