The Davis and Bacon Act requires contractors and subcontractors to comply with relevant documents when hiring workers for federally funded construction projects. These requirements will be proof that the workers are being paid fairly for the type of work or service they perform. Hence, the work classifications under the Davis and Bacon Act should be precisely identified and must be accompanied by the right prevailing wage rate and fringe benefits.
There are common types of prevailing work classifications, namely, construction trades, service trades, laborers, and mechanics. But what if the type of work does not fall under one of the common classifications mentioned above or might need to be specified?
The SF-1444, or Standard Form 1444, is filled out when a contractor has to add a classification to the wage determination in the survey information or in the HUD Form 4370A. Keep in mind that contractors can only request a new trade classification if the work being done does not fall into one of the categories already provided. For instance, if one is doing carpentry, concreting, or anything construction-related, they’re classified under the construction trade. If
This allows contractors to efficiently process conformance requests. Additionally, it could imply that only one wage choice on a project with several wage decisions has that classification, requiring the classification of the other decisions.
In similar cases, the process is relatively simple. The contractor or subcontractor should submit the completed SF-1444, which should also be fully signed by the prime contractor or subcontractor, if any, as well as the Civil Rights Region Specialist (RCRS) or the Contract / Labor Compliance Specialist. The contractor is ultimately responsible for the submission of this form.
What is the process for filling out Standard Form 1444? Learn more in our next blog post.
