Section 9.111. Remedies and penalties

(a) It is the duty of the Secretary where a timely protest has been filed by a workman that he has been paid less than the general prevailing minimum wage rate, to investigate the matter and determine whether or not there has been a failure to pay the general prevailing minimum wage rate and whether this failure was intentional or otherwise. The Secretary will hold appropriate hearings upon due notice to interested parties including the workman, the employer and their respective representatives, if any. If the Secretary, after hearing, has determined that the failure to pay the general prevailing minimum wage rate was not intentional he shall afford the person or firm a reasonable opportunity to adjust the matter by making payment to the workmen or providing adequate security to insure payment. If the Secretary determines that the failure to pay the general prevailing minimum wage rates intentional, he will thereupon notify the public bodies of the names of the persons or firms and no contract may be awarded to the person or firms or to a firm, corporation or partnership in which the person or firms have an interest until 3 years have elapsed from the date of the notice to the public bodies. The Secretary may, in addition thereto, request the Attorney General to proceed to recover the penalties for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania which are payable under section 11(f) of the act (43 P. S. 16511(f).

(b) The following constitutes substantial evidence of intentional failure to pay prevailing wage rates:

(1) Acts of omission or commission done willfully or with a knowing disregard of the rights of workmen resulting in the payment of less than prevailing wage rates.

(2) If the Secretary has made a finding that a person or firm has failed to pay the general prevailing minimum wage rate as determined by the Secretary in accordance with the act, and thereafter a person or firm continues to fail to pay the prevailing wages or a person or firm fails to comply with an opportunity to adjust differences which shall be afforded him by the Secretary.

(c) If the Secretary has determined that a person or firm has failed to pay the prevailing wages under section 11(e) and (f) of the act (43 P. S. § 165(e) and 165 (f)), he may direct the public body to terminate, and the public body may terminate, the contractor’s right to proceed with the public work.

Notation

Notes of Decisions

Statute of Limitations

There is no language in this regulation which provides for a statute of limitations applicable to the Department of Labor and Industry’s initiation of enforcement actions for underpayment of workers. Linde Enter., Inc. v. Prevailing Wage Appeals Board, 676 A.2d 310 (Pa. Cmwlth. 1996).