General Guidance on CWHSSA
Learn about the Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act (CWHSSA), which requires overtime pay for workers on certain federal and federally assisted construction and service contracts. This guide explains who is covered, overtime pay requirements, worker rights, employer recordkeeping responsibilities, penalties for violations, and available compliance assistance.
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CWHSSA Laws
Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act, as Amended
Federal Register
Proposed Rules
Procedures for Predetermination of Wage Rates; Labor Standards Provisions Applicable to Contracts Covering Federally Financed and Assisted Construction and to Certain Nonconstruction Contracts [04/09/1999] | (PDF)
Procedures for Predetermination of Wage Rates (29 CFR Part 1); Labor Standards Provisions Applicable to Contracts Covering Federally Financed and Assisted Construction and to Certain Nonconstruction Contracts (29 CFR Part 5)[08/02/1996] | (PDF)
Final Rules
Procedures for Predetermination of Wage Rates (29 CFR Part 1); Labor Standards Provisions Applicable to Contracts Covering Federally Financed and Assisted Construction and to Certain Nonconstruction Contracts (29 CFR Part 5) [12/30/1996] | (PDF)
Amendments to Federal Contract Labor Laws by the Federal Acquisition Streamlining Act of 1994; Final Rule [08/05/1996] | (PDF)
Civil Money Penalty Inflation Adjustments
Starting in 2016, agencies across the federal government must adjust their penalties for inflation each year. Below is a table that reflects the adjustments that have occurred for penalties under this statute. Find more information on the penalty adjustments.
| Type of Violation | Statutory Citation | CFR Citation | Maximum Civil Monetary Penalty on or before 1/15/2025 | Maximum Civil Monetary Penalty on or after 1/16/2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Failure to pay laborers and mechanics at a rate not less than one and one-half times their basic rate of pay | 40 USC 3702(c) | 29 CFR 5.8(a) and 29 CFR 5.5(b)(2) | $32 | $33 |