Workforce Protections Subcommittee Chairman Tim Walberg (R-MI) and Senior Democratic Member Joe Courtney (D-CT) today introduced the Streamlining Claims Processing for Federal Contractor Employees Act (H.R. 2747), legislation that moves responsibility for wage claims adjustments for federally contracted workers from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to the Department of Labor.
“This commonsense legislation is a win for both workers and taxpayers," said Rep. Walberg. “GAO is no longer responsible for other claims functions, so it is time we move this administrative duty to the agency responsible for enforcing the law. Doing so will help decrease redundancies and ensure greater efficiency within the federal government."
“It is time that we transfer this administrative responsibility to the agency that enforces this law," Rep. Courtney said. “Transitioning claim adjustments from the GAO to the Department of Labor will help to streamline the process and ensure that workers receive their pay in a timely manner."
Under the Davis-Bacon Act, federally contracted workers must be paid the “local prevailing wage" on all government projects. The Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act (CWHSSA) requires federally contracted workers to be paid one and one half times their basic rate of pay for hours worked in excess of 40 hours. Though the Department of Labor is responsible for enforcing these laws, an outdated policy puts GAO in charge of paying those workers who did not receive the appropriate wage. Since it no longer provides this service in other areas of the federal government, the GAO has requested this authority be moved to the appropriate enforcement agency.
In an effort to reduce bureaucracy and ensure workers receive their compensation more efficiently, the Streamlining Claims Processing for Federal Contracted Employees Act will transfer this payment authority to the Department of Labor, which oversees other aspects of the Davis-Bacon Act and the CWHSSA. Identical legislation was approved by the House with overwhelming bipartisan support during the 112th Congress.
