Does the prevailing wage apply to your business? A brief guide about prevailing wage and how the annual survey sets wage rates for public projects in your county.

Prevailing wages are the wages required to be paid on state-funded construction projects. These projects can be highways, roads, waste-water treatment plants, JOBZ projects, schools, parks and recreation improvements, or any other project funded in part or whole by state funds.

Prevailing wages are determined by an annual survey conducted by the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry. Contractors voluntarily submit wage data.

Prevailing-wage survey forms are specific to a project (both private and public). A different form should be submitted for every project where work was performed during the survey period. Only complete forms will be used. Incomplete data will be returned for resubmittal.

Prevailing-wage survey forms are used by the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry to determine the locally prevailing wage-rates under the state prevailing-wage requirements. The submission of data is voluntary, but is strongly encouraged. The identity of the respondent will be kept confidential to the maximum extent possible under existing law.

More information about

Certification must be included in bid documents

Working on a Prevailing Wage Project Base + Fringe must equal Total Rate Fringe is the employer’s contribution for health and welfare benefits, vacation benefits, pension benefits, and any other economic benefit paid to the employee. Overtime is required for any hours worked in excess of 8 in a day or 40 in a week.

New Legislation – Contract requirements The contract must specifically state the prevailing wage rates, prevailing hours of labor and hourly basic rates of pay. The contract must provide that the contracting agency shall demand, and the contractor and subcontractor shall furnish to the contracting agency, copies of any or all payrolls not more than 14 days after the end of each pay period.

Record Keeping – Enforcement Name, address and occupation Rate of pay, and amount paid each pay period Hours worked each day with a.m. and p.m. designation The prevailing wage master job classification of each employee working on the project for each hour worked Records of payments submitted to bona fide fringe funds and other documentation of fringe benefits

New Legislation – Powers of the Commissioner Minnesota Statutes § has been expanded to include prevailing wage provisions. Compliance Orders will be issued to employers when a prevailing wage violation has been found. Withholding Orders will be issued to contracting authorities when a prevailing wage violation has been found.

Questions or Concerns? Contact us at : Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry 443 Lafayette Rd. N St. Paul, MN DIAL DLI