On April 1, the U.S. Department of Labor issued an updated version of its Prevailing Wage Resource Book. The resource provides an overview of prevailing wage requirements under the Davis-Bacon and Related Acts and Service Contract Act. The updated guide incorporates changes to Davis-Bacon regulations that came into effect on Oct. 23, 2023, under the August 2023 final rule.

The final rule made drastic revisions to the Davis-Bacon Act and Related Acts regulations that apply to federal and federally assisted construction projects funded by taxpayers. These regulations require contractors on covered projects to pay prevailing wages determined by the DOL’s survey process. Unfortunately, the rule reversed important reforms that were established by the Reagan administration and increased the inaccuracy of Davis-Bacon wage determinations.

On Nov. 7, 2023, ABC filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas challenging the final rule, asserting that it violates numerous federal statutes and violates principles of fair and open competition on federal and federally assisted construction projects. Further updates will be provided in Newsline as the case proceeds.

ABC offered a members-only webinar on the final rule on Aug. 21, 2023. More information and resources are available on ABC’s website at abc.org/davisbacon.