Sources: U.S. Department of Labor; CP staff
Idaho Falls, Idaho-based JM Concrete Inc. has paid $92,290 in back wages to 27 carpenters, drivers, general laborers and power equipment operators who performed work on the Lorenzo Bridge Rehabilitation, a $1.8 million contract on State Highway 20 in Jefferson and Madison counties. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division investigators cited Davis-Bacon Act violations when they determined that the contractor failed to pay crew members prevailing wages and fringe benefits and issue paychecks weekly.
“The Wage and Hour Division is committed to ensuring that workers receive all the wages they have legally earned, especially in these unprecedented times,” says Western Division Regional Administrator Ruben Rosalez. “This investigation sends a strong message that the Wage and Hour Division will actively protect workers’ rights and level the playing field for employers. We encourage employers to reach out to us and use the many tools we provide to help them understand their responsibilities.”
The Lorenzo Bridge contract included replacement of the deck’s top layer and approach slabs, curb repairs, metal rail replacement, and fixing abutment, pier and girder cracks. The project proceeded with a Federal Highway Administration grant, administered by the Idaho Transportation Department. Davis-Bacon and Related Acts apply to contractors and subcontractors performing on federally funded or assisted contracts in excess of $2,000 for the construction, alteration, or repair of public works. They require contractors and subcontractors to pay laborers no less than the locally prevailing wages and fringe benefits for corresponding work on similar projects in the area.
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