[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 203 (Monday, October 20, 2008)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 62229-62234]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-24762]
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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Wage and Hour Division
29 CFR Parts 3 and 5
RIN 1215-AB67
Protecting the Privacy of Workers: Labor Standards Provisions
Applicable to Contracts Covering Federally Financed and Assisted
Construction
AGENCY: Wage and Hour Division, Employment Standards Administration,
Department of Labor.
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: In this proposed rule, the Department of Labor (Department or
DOL) proposes to revise regulations issued pursuant to the Davis-Bacon
and Related Acts and the Copeland Anti-Kickback Act to better protect
the personal privacy of laborers and mechanics employed on covered
construction contracts.
DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before November 19, 2008.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by RIN 1215-AB67, by
either one of the following methods:
Electronic comments, through the federal eRulemaking
Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for
submitting comments.
Mail: Wage and Hour Division, Employment Standards
Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, Room S-3502, 200 Constitution
Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20210.
Instructions: Please submit one copy of your comments by only one
method. All submissions received must include the agency name and
Regulatory Information Number (RIN) identified above for this
rulemaking. Comments
[[Page 62230]]
received will be posted to http://www.regulations.gov, including any
personal information provided. Because we continue to experience delays
in receiving mail in the Washington, DC, area, commenters are strongly
encouraged to transmit their comments electronically via the federal
eRulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov or to submit them by
mail early. For additional information on submitting comments and the
rulemaking process, see the ``Public Participation'' heading of the
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this document.
Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or
comments received, go to the federal eRulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Richard M. Brennan, Director, Office
of Interpretations and Regulatory Analysis, Wage and Hour Division,
Employment Standards Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, Room S-
3506, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20210; telephone:
(202) 693-0051 (this is not a toll-free number). Copies of this notice
may be obtained in alternative formats (Large Print, Braille, Audio
Tape or Disc), upon request, by calling (202) 693-0023 (not a toll-free
number). TTY/TDD callers may dial toll-free (877) 889-5627 to obtain
information or request materials in alternative formats.
Questions of interpretation and/or enforcement of regulations
issued by this agency or referenced in this notice may be directed to
the nearest Wage and Hour Division (WHD) District Office. Locate the
nearest office by calling our toll-free help line at (866) 4USWAGE
((866) 487-9243) between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. in your local time zone, or
log onto the WHD's Web site for a nationwide listing of WHD District
and Area Offices at: http://www.dol.gov/esa/whd/america2.htm.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Electronic Access and Filing Comments
Public Participation: This notice is available through the Federal
Register and the http://www.regulations.gov Web site. You may also
access this notice via the WHD home page at http://www.dol.gov/esa/whd/regulations/DBRA2008.htm. To comment electronically on federal
rulemakings, go to the federal eRulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov, which will allow you to find, review, and submit
comments on federal documents that are open for comment and published
in the Federal Register. Please identify all comments submitted in
electronic form by the RIN docket number (1215-AB67). Because of delays
in receiving mail in the Washington, DC area, commenters should
transmit their comments electronically via the federal eRulemaking
Portal at http://www.regulations.gov, or submit them by mail early to
ensure timely receipt prior to the close of the comment period. Submit
one copy of your comments by only one method.
Request for Comments: The DOL requests comments on all issues
related to this notice of proposed rulemaking. This proposed rule, if
implemented as a final rule, will enhance the privacy of workers and
reduce paperwork requirements. The changes will not result in
additional compliance costs for regulated entities.
II. Discussion of Changes
Summary of Pertinent Laws: Section 1 of the Davis-Bacon Act (DBA),
as amended, 40 U.S.C. 3141 requires that each contract over $2,000 to
which the United States or the District of Columbia is a party for the
construction, alteration, or repair of public buildings or public works
shall contain a clause setting forth the minimum wages to be paid to
various classes of laborers and mechanics employed under the contract.
The DBA requires contractors or their subcontractors to pay workers
employed directly upon the site of the work no less than the locally
prevailing wages and fringe benefits paid on projects of a similar
character as determined by the Secretary of Labor. Regulations in 29
CFR part 5 contain the Davis-Bacon and Related Acts required contract
clauses, and descriptions and interpretations of the labor standards
requirements.
The Copeland Anti-Kickback Act, 40 U.S.C. 3145, requires, among
other things, that contractors and subcontractors performing work on
most federally financed or assisted construction contracts furnish
weekly a statement with respect to the wages paid each worker during
the preceding week. See 29 CFR 3.3(b), 3.4. Contractors must submit
weekly a copy of all payrolls to the federal agency contracting for or
financing the construction project, if the agency is a party to the
contract, but if the agency is not such a party, the contractor will
submit the payrolls to the applicant, sponsor, or owner, as the case
may be, for transmission to the contracting agency. 29 CFR
5.5(a)(3)(ii)(A). A signed ``Statement of Compliance'' indicating the
payrolls are correct and complete and that each laborer or mechanic has
been paid not less than the proper Davis-Bacon and Related Act
prevailing wage rate for the work performed must accompany the payroll.
Id. 3.3(b), 5.5(a)(3)(ii)(B). Regulations implementing the Copeland Act
are contained in 29 CFR parts 3 and 5.
In addition to the statutory authorities above, Reorganization Plan
No. 14 of 1950 conferred upon the Secretary of Labor the authority to
coordinate the administration and enforcement of the labor standards
provisions of the above laws by the federal agencies providing the
federal funding or assistance for the covered construction activities.
See 5 U.S.C. Appendix.
The Secretary delegated her authority under the Davis-Bacon Act;
the Copeland Act, 40 U.S.C. 276c; Reorganization Plan No. 14 of 1950;
and the Tennessee Valley Authority Act, 16 U.S.C. 831, the Contract
Work Hours and Safety Standards Act, as amended, 40 U.S.C. 327, et seq.
to the Assistant Secretary for Employment Standards Administration. See
Secretary's Order 01-2008, issued May 30, 2008, and published in the
Federal Register on June 6, 2008 (73 FR 32424).
Privacy Protections: Changes are proposed in the contract labor
standards clauses that are required to be included in federally funded
and assisted construction contracts to protect the privacy of workers
by reducing the scope of information required in certified payrolls
provided weekly to appropriate federal agencies. The proposed
regulatory changes would eliminate social security numbers and home
addresses from documents that are provided weekly to non-employing
government agencies, contractors, subcontractors, applicants, sponsors,
and/or owners.
The current regulations for the Davis-Bacon and Related Acts
(DBRA), 29 CFR part 5, require that certified payrolls be provided to
the contracting government office for each week of work: ``The payrolls
submitted shall set out accurately and completely all of the
information required, including ``name, address, and social security
number of each such worker* * * .'' 29 CFR 5.5(a)(3)(i), (ii). These
requirements flow down to subcontractors as well. Id. 5.5(a)(6).
Stakeholders in the regulated community have noted concerns with
requiring private information like individual workers' social security
numbers and addresses on the required payroll submissions.
There is no statutory requirement that the Department require
social security numbers or addresses on certified payrolls. In the
1980s, the Employment Standards Administration proposed
[[Page 62231]]
eliminating the requirement for weekly submission of the certified
payrolls altogether. The final rule was successfully challenged by the
American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-
CIO) as eliminating an important compliance monitor. See Building &
Const. Trades' Dept., AFL-CIO v. Donovan, 712 F.2d 611 (DC Cir. 1983).
The court held that the Copeland Act required covered contractors and
subcontractors performing work on most federally financed or assisted
construction contracts to furnish weekly a statement with respect to
the wages paid each worker during the preceding week. Importantly,
however, the court noted that there was no specific requirement for
what individualized wage information for each covered worker was
necessary on the certified payroll submissions. See Id. at 633.
The requirements for including social security numbers and home
addresses also does not comport with recent guidance on limiting the
use of personally identifying information, nor the Department's
interests in protecting workers' privacy and preventing identity theft.
On May 22, 2007, the Office of Management and Budget issued a
Memorandum on ``Safeguarding Against and Responding to the Breach of
Personally Identifiable Information.'' Under the memo, government
agencies are to reduce ``the volume of collected and retained [personal
identifying] information to the minimum necessary; [and limit] access
to only those individuals who must have such access.'' OMB Memorandum
M-07-16 at 2. The Department of Labor's own Guidelines on the
Protection of Personal Identifiable Information (PII), define PII as
including ``name, address [and] social security number'' and direct
that DOL employees and contractors to safeguard the information. See
DOL Guidance at http://www.dol.gov/dol/ppii.htm. ``Because DOL
employees and contractors may have access to personal identifiable
information concerning individuals * * *, we have a special
responsibility to protect that information from loss and misuse.'' Id.
Congress has also focused on protecting the privacy interests of
workers in legislation, including for example, the Privacy Act, and the
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Likewise,
a number of federal courts have previously recognized concerns that any
potential release of certified payrolls has substantial personal
privacy implications. For example, courts have held that the release of
workers' names, addresses, and social security numbers on Davis-Bacon
payroll records under the Freedom of Information Act constitutes a
clearly unwarranted invasion of the workers' privacy. See Sheet Metal
Workers Int'l Ass'n, Local No. 19 v. U.S. Veterans Affairs, 135 F.3d
891 (3d Cir. 1998) (disclosure of names, social security numbers, or
addresses would constitute unwarranted invasion of privacy); Sheet
Metal Workers Int'l Ass'n, Local 9 v. U.S. Air Force, 63 F.3d 994 (10th
Cir. 1995) (holding release of names alone violated substantial privacy
interest); Painting Indus. Of Haw. Mkt. Recovery Fund v. United States
Dep't of Air Force, 26 F.3d 1479 (9th Cir. 1994) (names and addresses);
Painting & Drywall Work Preservation Fund v. HUD, 936 F.2d 1300 (DC
Cir. 1991) (same); Hopkins v. HUD, 929 F.2d 81 (2d Cir. 1991) (same).
With regard to addresses of covered construction workers, it should
be noted that the Department has for some time provided for limitations
on mandatory weekly disclosures on certified payrolls. The instructions
to WHD's optional Form WH-347, which is a model for certified payroll
submissions, currently specifies that addresses are only required for
the first time the laborer or mechanic performs work on the contract
and whenever there is a change of address. The proposal will bring the
regulatory provisions in line with the Department's information
collection needs.
The Department believes government agencies can ably enforce the
requirements of the Copeland Act and Davis-Bacon and Related Acts,
without needlessly continuing to expose workers to potential identity
theft from weekly transmission of personally identifiable information
on payroll records. Construction workers' addresses and social security
numbers will continue to be required to be maintained by construction
contractors and subcontractors, and government agencies responsible for
ensuring compliance with these contract provisions and the WHD will
continue to be able to access the social security numbers and addresses
of employees from the contractor or subcontractor if necessary for
purposes of an audit or investigation, 29 CFR 5.5(a)(3)(i), (iii). For
example, certified payrolls are not provided weekly under the Service
Contract Act. Consequently, the Department believes that elimination of
the weekly submissions of construction workers' social security numbers
and address information will not be a barrier to effective enforcement.
Accordingly, for the forgoing reasons, it is proposed that section
5.5(a)(3)(ii) of title 29 of the CFR be revised to eliminate the
requirement of social security numbers and addresses on weekly
submissions of detailed payrolls to the appropriate federal agency.
After detailed review of the Copeland Act and consideration of the
regulation in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act, the
Department has determined that the statutory requirement to furnish
weekly a detailed payroll with respect to the wages paid each employee
during the preceding week can be satisfied by a weekly submission of a
payroll without this information. This change is in keeping with the
Administration's objective of protecting the privacy interests of this
nation's workers and reducing reporting burdens imposed on the public.
Importantly, the proposed regulation would still require that the
addresses and social security numbers of covered workers be maintained
and made available to government agencies upon request to permit
government agencies to investigate compliance with the requirements of
the Davis-Bacon and Related Acts. The Department also requests input on
whether it would be appropriate, as an alternative to eliminating
personal addresses altogether from certified payroll submissions, to
instead require that the addresses of subcontractor personnel (and any
changes of address) be provided to the contractor (or other entity) in
direct privity with the government, but not included in weekly
submissions.
In addition, WHD's optional Form WH-347, which is a model for
certified payroll submissions, will be amended to reflect these
requirements and is the subject of a Paperwork Reduction Act notice as
discussed more fully below.
The Department also proposes two minor changes to the regulations
to reflect current practices. The first of these would eliminate
references in the regulations to Form WH-348, as the agency no longer
sponsors the form. See 29 CFR 3.3(b). The information previously
presented on Form WH-348 appears on Form WH-347 and was duplicative. In
addition, the proposed rule revises how interested parties may obtain
Form WH-347, as the form is no longer available for purchase through
the Government Printing Office. See 29 CFR 3.3(b) and 5.5(a)(3)(ii)(A).
III. Paperwork Reduction Act
As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent
burden, the Department conducts a preclearance consultation program to
provide the general public and federal agencies with an opportunity to
comment on proposed and continuing
[[Page 62232]]
collections of information in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction
Act of 1995 (PRA) 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A). This program helps to ensure
that requested data can be provided in the desired format, reporting
burden (time and financial resources) is minimized, collection
instruments are clearly understood, and the impact of collection
requirements on respondents can be properly assessed. The PRA typically
requires an agency to provide notice and seek public comments on any
proposed collection of information contained in a proposed rule. See 44
U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(B); 5 CFR 1320.8. Persons are not required to respond
to the information collection requirements as contained in this
proposal unless and until they are approved by the OMB under the PRA at
the final rule stage.
Purpose and Use: The Copeland Act requires contractors and
subcontractors performing work on most federally financed or assisted
construction contracts to furnish weekly a statement with respect to
the wages paid each worker during the preceding week. See 40 U.S.C.
3145; 29 CFR 3.3(b), 3.4. Contractors must submit weekly a copy of all
payrolls to the federal agency contracting for or financing the
construction project, if the agency is a party to the contract, but if
the agency is not such a party, the contractor will submit the payrolls
to the applicant, sponsor, or owner, as the case may be, for
transmission to the contracting agency. 29 CFR 5.5(a)(3)(ii)(A). A
signed ``Statement of Compliance'' indicating the payrolls are correct
and complete and that each laborer or mechanic has been paid not less
than the proper Davis-Bacon Act prevailing wage rate for the work
performed must accompany the payroll. Id. 3.3(b), 5.5(a)(3)(ii)(B).
Contractors must also maintain these records for three years after
completion of the work. Id. 3.4(b), 5.5(a)(3)(i).
More specifically, the current regulations require contractors
performing work on projects subject to Davis-Bacon Act provisions to
retain the name, address, social security number, correct
classification, hourly rates of wages paid (including rates of
contributions or costs anticipated for bona fide fringe benefits or
cash equivalents thereof of the types described in Davis-Bacon Act
section 1(b)(2)(B)), daily and weekly number of hours worked,
deductions made, and actual wages paid to each worker on the contract.
Id. 5.5(a)(3)(i). Whenever the Secretary of Labor has found under 29
CFR 5.5(a)(1)(iv) that the wages of any laborer or mechanic include the
amount of any costs reasonably anticipated in providing benefits under
a plan or program described in Davis-Bacon Act section 1(b)(2)(B), the
contractor must maintain records showing that the commitment to provide
such benefits is enforceable, that the plan or program is financially
responsible, that the plan or program has been communicated in writing
to the laborers or mechanics affected, and the anticipated or actual
costs incurred in providing such benefits. Id. Contractors employing
apprentices or trainees under approved programs must maintain written
evidence of the registration of apprenticeship programs and
certification of trainee programs, the registration of the apprentices
and trainees, and the ratios and wage rates prescribed in the
applicable programs. Id. The Department proposes to remove the
regulatory requirement that the weekly payroll submitted to the
contracting agency contain each worker's social security number and
address. The proposal does not remove the requirement for worker
addresses and social security numbers to be retained in records
maintained by the contractor or subcontractor. Id. 5.5(a)(3)(i). See
also Id. 5.5(a)(6). Government contracting officials and WHD staff use
the records maintained by contractors and subcontractors as well as the
weekly certified payrolls to verify payment of the required wages for
the work performed.
The Department has developed optional use Form WH-347, Payroll
Form, which contractors may use to meet the payroll reporting
requirements. Id. 3.3(b), 5.5(a)(3)(ii)(A). The form contains the basic
payroll information that contractors must furnish each week they
perform any work subject to Davis-Bacon Act provisions. The contractor
also completes, dates, and signs a statement on the reverse side of the
form to meet the certification requirement. The contractor submits the
completed form weekly to the contracting agency. 29 CFR
5.5(a)(3)(ii)(A). The contractor may substitute copies of its payroll
containing all of the required information and provide the required
certification. Id.
Information Technology: In accordance with the Government Paperwork
Elimination Act (GPEA), 44 U.S.C. 3504, the WHD has posted Form WH-347
on the Internet (http://www.dol.gov/esa/whd/forms/wh347.pdf) in a
printable and fillable format that automatically performs some
mathematical calculations. Individual contracting agencies determine
any electronic submission options, because contractors submit the
information directly to each contracting agency, not to the Department.
29 CFR 5.5(a)(3)(ii)(A). In 2004, WHD issued a letter to the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers and the Federal Highway Administration advising that
the submission of electronic signatures satisfied the requirements of
the Copeland Act and its regulations. It is the Department's
understanding that some agencies have set up systems to gather these
records electronically and the Department encourages these and other
initiatives to increase efficiency and requests comments on any
additional methods to improve efficient compliance with the certified
payroll requirements.
Similarly, the submission of photocopies or other automated
duplication of the contractor's regular payrolls containing all of the
required information pertinent to the government construction
project(s) is sufficient to satisfy the payroll data requirements. 29
CFR 5.5(a)(3)(ii)(A).
Public Burden Estimates: This proposed rule introduces no new
information collection requirements nor proposes any substantive or
material changes to the existing information collection requirements
noted above. The Department, however, is proposing to remove the
requirement to report an employee's social security number and address,
which the Department estimates will reduce the average reporting time
from an average of 56 minutes per response to 54 minutes per response.
The Department bases the following burden estimates for this
information collection on agency experience, except as otherwise noted.
F.W. Dodge Report data for the period June 1, 2007, through May 31,
2008, indicate there were 109,323 State and local construction projects
and 3032 federal construction projects. The Department estimates that
approximately 33 percent of State and local construction projects
utilize federal funds, resulting in an estimated 36,077 State and local
construction projects being subject to Davis-Bacon labor standards
(109,323 projects x 33 percent). Added to the 3032 federal projects,
this would be an estimated 39,109 annual projects subject to Davis-
Bacon labor standards.
The Department estimates these projects have an average of 8
contractors or subcontractors, resulting in 312,872 individual
contractor and subcontractor projects (39,109 projects x 8 contractors
and subcontractors per project = 312,872 individual projects).
To yield the estimated number of respondents, the Department
estimates that, on a per capita basis, each covered construction
contractor annually works
[[Page 62233]]
on an average of four projects subject to Davis-Bacon Act provisions.
Thus, 312,872 individual projects divided by 4 Davis-Bacon projects per
contractor equals 78,218 respondents.
The Department also estimates that a typical contractor or
subcontractor on average submits 23 certified payrolls per individual
project. Thus, 312,872 individual projects multiplied by 23 weekly
responses equal 7,196,056 total annual responses.
The 7,196,056 responses multiplied by 54 minutes (estimated time to
complete Form WH-347 or its equivalent) equal 388,587,024 minutes or
6,476,450 hours (rounded).
Public Comments: Stakeholders have expressed concerns about
requiring submission of personal identifying information, particularly
social security numbers and personal home addresses, on the weekly
payroll submissions. The proposed regulations would remove the
requirement for workers' addresses and social security numbers to
appear on payrolls submitted to contracting agencies; however, federal
construction contractors will still be required to maintain this
information in the payroll records the contractors maintain for
projects subject to Davis-Bacon Act provisions.
The Department seeks additional public comments regarding the
burdens imposed by information collections contained in this proposed
rule. In particular, the Department seeks comments that: Evaluate
whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the
proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether
the information will have practical utility; evaluate the accuracy of
the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of
information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions
used; enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information to be
collected; and minimize the burden of the collection of information on
those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection
techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting
electronic submissions of responses. Commenters may send their views
about these information collections to the Department in the same way
as all other comments (e.g., through the regulations.gov Web site).
An agency may not conduct an information collection unless it has a
currently valid OMB approval and the Department has submitted the
identified information collections contained in the proposed rule to
the OMB for review under the PRA under Control Number 1215-0149. See 44
U.S.C. 3507(d); 5 CFR 1320.11. While much of the information provided
to the OMB in support of the information collection request appears in
this preamble, interested parties may obtain a copy of the full
supporting statement by sending a written request to the mail address
shown in the Addresses section at the beginning of this preamble or by
visiting the http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain Web site.
In addition to having an opportunity to file comments with the
Department, comments about the paperwork implications of the proposed
regulations may be addressed to the OMB. Comments to the OMB should be
directed to: Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Attention
OMB Desk Officer for the Employment Standards Administration (ESA),
Office of Management and Budget, Room 10235, Washington, DC 20503,
Telephone: 202-395-7316/Fax: 202-395-6974 (these are not toll-free
numbers).
Please note that the current authorization for the Davis-Bacon
Certified Payroll information collection expires April 30, 2009. On
October 1, 2008, the Department published a routine Paperwork Reduction
Act notice in the Federal Register seeking comments on the existing
Davis-Bacon information collection requirements that are also the
subject of this proposal. 73 FR 57153. Any comments submitted to the
October 1 request will be reviewed in light of the current proposal.
IV. Executive Order 12866; Small Business Regulatory Enforcement
Fairness Act; Regulatory Flexibility
This proposed rule is not economically significant within the
meaning of Executive Order 12866, or a ``major rule'' under the
Unfunded Mandates Reform Act or Section 801 of the Small Business
Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act.
The Department believes that a reduction in the amount of
information required on certified payrolls provided weekly under Davis-
Bacon is a reduction in regulatory compliance costs. While some
contractors may have to slightly reconfigure their systems to produce
the revised version, most have access to computerized systems that can
easily be revised to remove data. Those contractors who currently use
the optional WH Form will actually have an overall decrease of total
administrative costs.
Conclusion: The Department concludes that incorporating these
changes into the Davis-Bacon regulations will not impose any measurable
costs on any private or public sector entity.
Furthermore, because the proposed rule will not impose any
measurable costs on employers, the Department certifies that it would
not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small
entities. Accordingly, the Department need not prepare an initial
regulatory flexibility analysis under the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5
U.S.C. 601 et seq.). The Department has certified this conclusion to
the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the Small Business Administration.
V. Unfunded Mandates Reform Act
This proposed rule has been reviewed in accordance with the
Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (UMRA). 2 U.S.C. 1501 et seq. For
the purposes of the UMRA, the Department certifies that this rule does
not impose any federal mandate that may result in increased
expenditures by State, local, or tribal governments, or increased
expenditures by the private sector, of more than $100 million in any
year.
VI. Executive Order 13132 (Federalism)
The Department has reviewed this rule in accordance with the
Executive Order on Federalism (Executive Order 13132, 64 FR 43255, Aug.
10, 1999). This rule does not have federalism implications as outlined
in E.O. 13132. The rule does not have substantial direct effects on the
states, on the relationship between the national government and the
states, or on the distribution of power and responsibilities among the
various levels of government.
VII. Executive Order 13175, Indian Tribal Governments
The Department has reviewed this rule under the terms of Executive
Order 13175 and determined it did not have ``tribal implications.'' The
rule does not have ``substantial direct effects on one or more Indian
tribes, on the relationship between the federal government and Indian
tribes, or on the distribution of power and responsibilities between
the federal government and Indian tribes.'' As a result, no tribal
summary impact statement has been prepared.
VIII. Effects on Families
The Department certifies that this rule will not adversely affect
the well-being of families, as discussed under section 654 of the
Treasury and General Government Appropriations Act, 1999.
[[Page 62234]]
IX. Executive Order 13045, Protection of Children
The Department has reviewed this rule under the terms of Executive
Order 13045 and determined this action is not subject to E.O. 13045
because it is not economically significant as defined in E.O. 12866 and
it does not impact the environmental health or safety risks of
children.
X. Environmental Impact Assessment
The Department has reviewed this rule in accordance with the
requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA),
42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq., the regulations of the Council of Environmental
Quality, 40 CFR 1500 et seq., and the Departmental NEPA procedures, 29
CFR part 11, and determined that this rule will not have a significant
impact on the quality of the human environment. There is, thus, no
corresponding environmental assessment or an environmental impact
statement.
XI. Executive Order 13211, Energy Supply
The Department has determined that this rule is not subject to
Executive Order 13211. It will not have a significant adverse effect on
the supply, distribution or use of energy.
XII. Executive Order 12630, Constitutionally Protected Property Rights
The Department has determined that this rule is not subject to
Executive Order 12630 because it does not involve implementation of a
policy ``that has taking implications'' or that could impose
limitations on private property use.
XIII. Executive Order 12988, Civil Justice Reform Analysis
The Department drafted and reviewed this proposed rule in
accordance with Executive Order 12988 and determined that the rule will
not unduly burden the federal court system. The rule was: (1) Reviewed
to eliminate drafting errors and ambiguities; (2) written to minimize
litigation; and (3) written to provide a clear legal standard for
affected conduct and to promote burden reduction.
List of Subjects
29 CFR Part 3
Government contracts, Labor, Paperwork, Law enforcement.
29 CFR Part 5
Government contracts, Labor, Paperwork, Law enforcement.
Signed at Washington, DC. this 14th day of October, 2008.
Victoria A. Lipnic,
Assistant Secretary, Employment Standards Administration.
Alexander J. Passantino,
Acting Administrator, Wage and Hour Division.
For the reasons set forth above, the Department proposes to amend
Title 29, Parts 3 and 5 of the Code of Federal Regulations as follows:
PART 3--CONTRACTORS AND SUBCONTRACTORS ON PUBLIC BUILDING OR PUBLIC
WORK FINANCED IN WHOLE OR IN PART BY LOANS OR GRANTS FROM THE
UNITED STATES
1. The authority citation for Part 3 is proposed to be revised to
read as follows:
Authority: R.S. 161, sec. 2, 48 Stat. 848; Reorg. Plan No. 14 of
1950, 64 Stat. 1267; 5 U.S.C. 301; 40 U.S.C. 3145; Secretary's Order
01-2008; and Employment Standards Order No. 2001-01.
2. Section 3.3 is amended by revising paragraph (b) to read as
follows:
Sec. 3.3 Weekly statement with respect to payment of wages.
* * * * *
(b) Each contractor or subcontractor engaged in the construction,
prosecution, completion, or repair of any public building or public
work, or building or work financed in whole or in part by loans or
grants from the United States, shall furnish each week a statement with
respect to the wages paid each of its employees engaged on work covered
by this part 3 and part 5 of this title during the preceding weekly
payroll period. This statement shall be executed by the contractor or
subcontractor or by an authorized officer or employee of the contractor
or subcontractor who supervises the payment of wages, and shall be on
the back of Form WH 347, ``Payroll (For Contractors Optional Use)'' or
on any form with identical wording. Copies of Form WH 347 may be
obtained from the Government contracting or sponsoring agency or from
the Wage and Hour Division Web site at http://www.dol.gov/esa/whd/forms/wh347instr.htm or its successor site.
* * * * *
PART 5--LABOR STANDARDS PROVISIONS APPLICABLE TO CONTRACTS COVERING
FEDERALLY FINANCED AND ASSISTED CONSTRUCTION (ALSO LABOR STANDARDS
PROVISIONS APPLICABLE TO NONCONSTRUCTION CONTRACTS SUBJECT TO THE
CONTRACT WORK HOURS AND SAFETY STANDARDS ACT)
3. The authority citation for part 5 is revised to read as follows:
Authority: 5 U.S.C. 301; R.S. 161, 64 Stat. 1267; Reorganization
Plan No. 14 of 1950, 5 U.S.C. appendix; 40 U.S.C. 3141 et seq.; 40
U.S.C. 3145; 40 U.S.C. 3148; 40 U.S.C. 3701 et seq.; and the laws
listed in 5.1(a) of this part; Secretary's Order 01-2008; and
Employment Standards Order No. 2001-01.
6. Section 5.5 is amended by revising paragraph (a)(3)(ii)(A) to
read as follows:
Sec. 5.5 Contract provisions and related matters.
(a) * * *
(3) * * * (ii)(A) The contractor shall submit weekly for each week
in which any contract work is performed a copy of all payrolls to the
(write in name of appropriate federal agency) if the agency is a party
to the contract, but if the agency is not such a party, the contractor
will submit the payrolls to the applicant, sponsor, or owner, as the
case may be, for transmission to the (write in name of agency). The
payrolls submitted shall set out accurately and completely all of the
information required to be maintained under 29 CFR 5.5(a)(3)(i), except
that social security numbers and home addresses shall not be included
on any weekly transmittals. The required weekly information may be
submitted in any form desired. Optional Form WH-347 is available for
this purpose from the Wage and Hour Division Web site at http://www.dol.gov/esa/whd/forms/wh347instr.htm or its successor site. The
prime contractor is responsible for the submission of copies of
payrolls by all subcontractors.
* * * * *
[FR Doc. E8-24762 Filed 10-17-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-27-P