Davis-Bacon/Prevailing Wage

Prevailing Wage, or Davis-Bacon laws, prevent contractors from undermining the wages and benefits of local workers and ensures that workers on publicly funded projects are paid at least the same wages as other workers in the area. This prevents employers with the lowest bid from bringing in low paid, low skilled workers from out-of-state. Prevailing Wage keeps local tax dollars working in the community through the hiring of highly trained and skilled local workers. 

More detailed information is available in this 2024 update, Preserving Our Pay.

Key Points

  • Prevailing Wage laws prevent contractors from undermining the wages and benefits of local families.
  • Prevailing Wage bolsters local economies by increasing tax revenues and local purchasing.
  • Prevailing Wage supports in-state contractors and builds local middle-class jobs while driving economic development.
  • Prevailing Wage creates an incentive to make contractors more efficient and productive. 

Take Action

Support Davis-Bacon/Prevailing Wage laws and acts in your area! Supporting prevailing wage laws means that you support building local economies, support building local middle-class jobs, and help create incentives for contractors to be efficient and productive.

For more information or for a fact sheet, click here.