Legal Definitions - Davis-Bacon Act

The Davis-Bacon Act is a law in the United States that makes sure workers on public construction projects funded by the federal government are paid a fair wage. This law says that workers must be paid at least the prevailing wage for their job in the area where they are working. The United States Department of Labor decides what the prevailing wage is for each area.

For example, if a construction project is being funded by the federal government in a certain city, the workers on that project must be paid at least the prevailing wage for their job in that city. This ensures that workers are paid fairly for their work and that they are not taken advantage of by their employers.

If there is a dispute about whether a worker is being paid the right wage under the Davis-Bacon Act, the Wage and Hour Division of the U.S. Department of Labor will investigate and make a decision. However, the decision of the Labor Secretary about what the prevailing wage is cannot be reviewed by a court.