The Department of Workplace Standards is charged with the responsibility of determining the prevailing rate of wages for public works construction. The statute permits the commissioner to conduct hearings in each locality or he may adopt the prevailing wage issued by the U.S. Department of Labor in any locality where a prevailing wage under the Davis Bacon Act has been issued. The prevailing wage in both scenarios is determined by the majority of evidence applicable to each classification of laborer, workman and mechanic based on the prevailing practice in the locality.

Interested parties have the obligation of presenting wage data at the hearings conducted by a representative of the commissioner. The parties must have evidence relative to the classification of work performed and the hourly and fringe benefits paid to each classification of laborer, workman or mechanic performing work in the locality. If you are interested in providing wage and classification evidence in any locality that the Department of Workplace Standards conducts a hearing, you will receive notification of scheduled hearings if you request to be placed on the mailing list. If you are interested in providing wage and classification evidence that may be utilized by the U.S. Department of Labor relative to the 39 counties where the federal rates have been adopted, you should contact the U.S. Department of Labor in Washington, D.C., at the following address:

U.S. Department of Labor    

Employment Standards Administration

Frances Perkins Building

200 Constitution Avenue, N.W.

Washington, D.C. 20210

For your convenience, the Department of Workplace Standards has listed below the counties where this office has adopted the federal wage rates. In the remaining counties, hearings are conducted by this office to ascertain evidence relative to the prevailing wages paid in each locality of the commonwealth.