Brief Description: Regarding public workers excluded from prevailing wages on public works provisions.

Sponsors: By Representatives Green, Conway, Hasegawa, Chase, Simpson, Morrell and Wood.

House Committee on Commerce & Labor
Senate Committee on Labor, Commerce, Research & Development

Background:

State law requires employers to pay workers on all public works contracts and public building service maintenance contracts at least the prevailing wage. The prevailing wage is the rate of hourly wage, usual benefits, and overtime paid to the majority of workers in the same trade or occupation in the largest city in the county where the work is performed. The Department of Labor and Industries determines the prevailing wage by periodically surveying the trades.

Public employees paid a "monthly or per diem salary" are excluded from the prevailing wage laws, meaning they are also not included in the surveys. Some private sector workers brought suit, claiming that since public employees paid hourly are not excluded, their wages should be included in a survey.

Summary:

Public employees, regardless of how they are paid, are excluded from prevailing wage laws and are therefore not included in prevailing wage surveys.

Rules Authority: The bill does not address the rule-making powers of an agency.

Votes on Final Passage:

House   93   0
Senate   47   0

Effective: July 22, 2007