HB0773eng 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB0773 Engrossed LRB095 09068 RLC 29259 b

AN ACT concerning employment.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Prevailing Wage Act is amended by changing Sections 2, 3, 4, 6, 9, 11, and 11b as follows:

(820 ILCS 130/2) (from Ch. 48, par. 39s-2)

Sec. 2. This Act applies to the wages of laborers, mechanics and other workers employed in any public works, as hereinafter defined, by any public body and to anyone under contracts for public works.

As used in this Act, unless the context indicates otherwise:

"Public works" means all fixed works constructed by any public body, other than work done directly by any public utility company, whether or not done under public supervision or direction, or paid for wholly or in part out of public funds. "Public works" as defined herein includes all projects financed in whole or in part with bonds issued under the Industrial Project Revenue Bond Act (Article 11, Division 74 of the Illinois Municipal Code), the Economic Development Area Tax Increment Allocation Act, the Industrial Building Revenue Bond Act, the Illinois Finance Authority Act, the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority Act, or the Build Illinois Bond Act, and all projects financed in whole or in part with loans or other funds made available pursuant to the Build Illinois Act. "Public works" also includes all projects financed in whole or in part with funds from the Fund for Illinois' Future under Section 6z-47 of the State Finance Act, funds for school construction under Section 5 of the General Obligation Bond Act, funds authorized under Section 3 of the School Construction Bond Act, funds for school infrastructure under Section 6z-45 of the State Finance Act, and funds for transportation purposes under Section 4 of the General Obligation Bond Act. "Public works" also includes all projects financed in whole or in part with funds from the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity under the Illinois Renewable Fuels Development Program Act for which there is no project labor agreement. "Public works" also includes all projects at leased facility property used for airport purposes under Section 35 of the Local Government Facility Lease Act and all projects financed in whole or in part with loans or other funds made available pursuant to the Illinois Enterprise Zone Act.

"Construction" means all work on public works involving laborers, workers or mechanics.

"Locality" means the county where the physical work upon public works is performed, except (1) that if there is not available in the county a sufficient number of competent skilled laborers, workers and mechanics to construct the public works efficiently and properly, "locality" includes any other county nearest the one in which the work or construction is to be performed and from which such persons may be obtained in sufficient numbers to perform the work and (2) that, with respect to contracts for highway work with the Department of Transportation of this State, "locality" may at the discretion of the Secretary of the Department of Transportation be construed to include two or more adjacent counties from which workers may be accessible for work on such construction.

"Public body" means the State or any officer, board or commission of the State or any political subdivision or department thereof, or any institution supported in whole or in part by public funds, and includes every county, city, town, village, township, school district, irrigation, utility, reclamation improvement or other district and every other political subdivision, district or municipality of the state whether such political subdivision, municipality or district operates under a special charter or not.

The terms "general prevailing rate of hourly wages", "general prevailing rate of wages" or "prevailing rate of wages" when used in this Act mean the hourly cash wages plus fringe benefits for training and apprenticeship programs approved by the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training, health and welfare, insurance, vacations and pensions paid generally, in the locality in which the work is being performed, to employees engaged in work of a similar character on public works.

"Contractor" or "subcontractor" means any person or entity who undertakes to, offers to undertake to, purports to have the capacity to undertake to, submits a bid to, or does himself or herself or by or through others, engage in a public works.

(Source: P.A. 93-15, eff. 6-11-03; 93-16, eff. 1-1-04; 93-205, eff. 1-1-04; 94-750, eff. 5-9-06.)

(820 ILCS 130/3) (from Ch. 48, par. 39s-3)

Sec. 3. Not less than the general prevailing rate of hourly wages for work of a similar character on public works in the locality in which the work is performed, and not less than the general prevailing rate of hourly wages for legal holiday and overtime work, shall be paid to all laborers, workers and mechanics employed by or on behalf of any public body engaged in the construction of public works. Laborers Only such laborers, workers and mechanics as are directly employed by contractors or subcontractors in actual construction work on the site of the building or construction job shall be deemed to be employed upon public works. Laborers, and laborers, workers and mechanics engaged in the transportation of materials and equipment to or from the site, but not including the transportation by the sellers and suppliers or the manufacture or processing of materials or equipment, in the execution of any contract or contracts for public works with any public body shall also be deemed to be employed upon public works. The wage for a tradesman performing maintenance is equivalent to that of a tradesman engaged in construction. All contractors and subcontractors required to pay the prevailing wage under this Act shall make payment of such wages in legal tender, without any deduction for food, sleeping accommodations, transportation, use of tools, or any other thing of any kind or description.

(Source: P.A. 93-15, eff. 6-11-03; 93-16, eff. 1-1-04.)

(820 ILCS 130/4) (from Ch. 48, par. 39s-4)

Sec. 4. (a) The public body awarding any contract for public works work or otherwise undertaking any public works, shall ascertain the general prevailing rate of hourly wages in the locality in which the work is to be performed, for each craft or type of worker or mechanic needed to execute the contract, and where the public body performs the work without letting a contract therefor, shall ascertain the prevailing rate of wages on a per hour basis in the locality. Such , and such public body shall specify in the resolution or ordinance and in the call for bids for the contract, that the general prevailing rate of wages in the locality for each craft or type of worker or mechanic needed to execute the contract or perform such work, also the general prevailing rate for legal holiday and overtime work, as ascertained by the public body or by the Department of Labor shall be paid for each craft or type of worker needed to execute the contract or to perform such work. , and it

(b) It shall be mandatory upon the contractor to whom the contract is awarded and upon any subcontractor under him, and where the public body performs the work, upon the public body, to pay not less than the specified rates to all laborers, workers and mechanics employed by them in the execution of the contract or such work; provided, however, that if the public body desires that the Department of Labor ascertain the prevailing rate of wages, it shall notify the Department of Labor to ascertain the general prevailing rate of hourly wages for work under contract, or for work performed by a public body without letting a contract as required in the locality in which the work is to be performed, for each craft or type of worker or mechanic needed to execute the contract or project or work to be performed. Upon such notification the Department of Labor shall ascertain such general prevailing rate of wages, and certify the prevailing wage to such public body.

(c) The public body awarding the contract shall cause to be inserted in the project specifications and the contract a stipulation to the effect that not less than the prevailing rate of wages as found by the public body or Department of Labor or determined by the court on review shall be paid to all laborers, workers and mechanics performing work under the contract.

(d) When a public body or other entity covered by this Act contracts for work with a contractor without a public bid or project specification, such public body or other entity shall provide the contractor with a written notice that the prevailing wage is required to be paid on the project as a statement on the purchase order related to the work to be done or on a separate document.

(e) Where a complaint has been made and the Department has determined that a violation has occurred, the Department shall determine if proper written notice under this Section 4 was given. If proper written notice was not provided to the contractor by the public body, the Department shall order the public body to pay any back wages, interest, penalties or fines owed by the contractor to all laborers, mechanics and other workers who performed work on the project. For the purposes of this subsection back wages shall be limited to the difference between the actual amount paid and the prevailing wages required to be paid for the project. A contractor shall not be deemed in violation of this Act if proper written notice pursuant to this Section 4 is not provided. The failure to provide written notice by a public body or other entity does not diminish the right of a laborer, worker, or mechanic to the prevailing wage rate as determined under this Act.

(f) (b) It shall also be mandatory upon the contractor to whom the contract is awarded to insert into each subcontract and into the project specifications for each subcontract a written stipulation to the effect that not less than the prevailing rate of wages shall be paid to all laborers, workers, and mechanics performing work under the contract. It shall also be mandatory upon each subcontractor to cause to be inserted into each lower tiered subcontract and into the project specifications for each lower tiered subcontract a stipulation to the effect that not less than the prevailing rate of wages shall be paid to all laborers, workers, and mechanics performing work under the contract. A contractor or subcontractor who fails to comply with this subsection (f) (b) is in violation of this Act.

(g) When a contractor has awarded work to a subcontractor without a contract or without a contract specification, the contractor may comply with subsection (d) by providing a subcontractor a written statement indicating that no less than the prevailing wage rate shall be paid to all laborers, mechanics and other workers performing work on the project. A contractor or subcontractor who fails to comply with this subsection (g) is in violation of this Act.

(h) Where a complaint has been made and the Department has determined that a violation has occurred, the Department shall determine if proper written notice under this Section 4 was given. If proper written notice was not provided to the subcontractor by the contractor, the Department shall order the contractor to pay any back wages, interest, penalties or fines owed by the subcontractor to all laborers, mechanics and other workers who performed work on the project. For the purposes of this subsection back wages shall be limited to the difference between the actual amount paid and the prevailing wages required for the project. A subcontractor shall not be deemed in violation of this Act if such written notice is not provided. However, if proper written notice was not provided to the contractor by the public body under subsections (a) or (b) of this Section 4, the Department shall order the public body to pay any back wages, interest, penalties or fines owed by the subcontractor to all laborers, mechanics and other workers who performed work on the project. The failure to provide written notice by a public body or contractor does not diminish the right of a laborer, worker, or mechanic to prevailing wage rate as determined under this Act.

(i) (c) It shall also require in all such contractor's bonds that the contractor include such provision as will guarantee the faithful performance of such prevailing wage clause as provided by contract. All bid specifications shall list the specified rates to all laborers, workers and mechanics in the locality for each craft or type of worker or mechanic needed to execute the contract.

(j) (d) If the Department of Labor revises the prevailing rate of hourly wages to be paid by the public body, the revised rate shall apply to such contract. The public body or the Department of Labor shall make the revised rate of hourly wages available to the contractor and each subcontractor and the publication of the revised rate on the Department of Labor's official website shall be deemed sufficient notice. The , and the public body shall be responsible to notify the contractor and each subcontractor shall notify its employees pursuant to this Act and pay the , of the revised rate.

(e) Two or more investigatory hearings under this Section on the issue of establishing a new prevailing wage classification for a particular craft or type of worker shall be consolidated in a single hearing before the Department. Such consolidation shall occur whether each separate investigatory hearing is conducted by a public body or the Department. The party requesting a consolidated investigatory hearing shall have the burden of establishing that there is no existing prevailing wage classification for the particular craft or type of worker in any of the localities under consideration.

(k) It shall be mandatory upon the contractor or construction manager to whom a contract for public works is awarded to post, at a location on the project site of the public works that is easily accessible to the workers engaged on the project, the prevailing wage rates for each craft or type of worker or mechanic needed to execute the contract or project or work to be performed. In lieu of posting on the project site of the public works, a contractor which has a business location where laborers, workers and mechanics regularly visit may: (1) post in a conspicuous location at that business the current prevailing wage rates for each county the contractor is performing work; or (2) provide such laborer, worker or mechanic engaged on the public works project a written notice indicating the prevailing wage rates for the public works project. A failure to post or provide a prevailing wage rate as required by this Section is a violation of this Act.

(l) Beginning July 1, 2009, every public body awarding any contract for a public works or otherwise undertaking any public works shall notify the Department of Labor in writing, on a form and in a format prescribed by the Department of Labor, whenever a contract subject to the provisions of this Act has been awarded. The notification mentioned herein shall be filed with the Department of Labor within 30 days after such contract is awarded or before commencement of the public works, and shall include a list of all first-tier subcontractors.

(Source: P.A. 92-783, eff. 8-6-02; 93-15, eff. 6-11-03; 93-16, eff. 1-1-04; 93-38, eff. 6-1-04; revised 10-29-04.)

(820 ILCS 130/6) (from Ch. 48, par. 39s-6)

Sec. 6. Any officer, agent or representative of any public body who wilfully violates, or omits to comply with, any of the provisions of this Act, and any contractor or subcontractor, or agent or representative thereof, doing public work as aforesaid, who wilfully violates, or omits to comply with, any of the provisions of this Act neglects to keep, or cause to be kept, an accurate record of the names, occupation and actual wages paid to each laborer, worker and mechanic employed by him, in connection with the public work or who refuses to allow access to same at any reasonable hour to any person authorized to inspect same under this Act, is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.

The Department of Labor shall inquire diligently as to any violation of this Act, shall institute actions for penalties herein prescribed, and shall enforce generally the provisions of this Act. The Attorney General shall prosecute such cases upon complaint by the Department or any interested person.

(Source: P.A. 94-488, eff. 1-1-06.)

(820 ILCS 130/9) (from Ch. 48, par. 39s-9)

Sec. 9. To effectuate the purpose and policy of this Act each public body shall, during the month of June of each calendar year, investigate and ascertain the prevailing rate of wages as defined in this Act and publicly post or keep available for inspection by any interested party in the main office of such public body its determination of such prevailing rate of wage and shall promptly file, no later than July 15 of each year, a certified copy thereof in the office of the Secretary of State at Springfield and the office of the Illinois Department of Labor.

The Department of Labor shall during the month of June of each calendar year, investigate and ascertain the prevailing rate of wages for each county in the State. If a public body does not investigate and ascertain the prevailing rate of wages during the month of June as required by the previous paragraph, then the prevailing rate of wages for that public body shall be the rate as determined by the Department under this paragraph for the county in which such public body is located.

Where the Department of Labor ascertains the prevailing rate of wages, it is the duty of the Department of Labor within 30 days after receiving a notice from the public body authorizing the proposed work, to conduct an investigation to ascertain the prevailing rate of wages as defined in this Act and such investigation shall be conducted in the locality in which the work is to be performed. The Department of Labor shall send a certified copy of its findings to the public body authorizing the work and keep a record of its findings available for inspection by any interested party in the office of the Department of Labor at Springfield.

The public body except for the Department of Transportation with respect to highway contracts shall within 30 days after filing with the Secretary of State, or the Department of Labor shall within 30 days after filing with such public body, publish in a newspaper of general circulation within the area that the determination is effective, a notice of its determination and shall promptly mail a copy of its determination to any employer, and to any association of employers and to any person or association of employees who have filed their names and addresses, requesting copies of any determination stating the particular rates and the particular class of workers whose wages will be affected by such rates.

At any time within 30 days after the Department of Labor has published on its official web site a prevailing wage schedule, any person affected thereby may object in writing to the determination or such part thereof as they may deem objectionable by filing a written notice with the public body or Department of Labor, whichever has made such determination, stating the specified grounds of the objection. It shall thereafter be the duty of the public body or Department of Labor to set a date for a hearing on the objection after giving written notice to the objectors at least 10 days before the date of the hearing and said notice shall state the time and place of such hearing. Such hearing by a public body shall be held within 45 days after the objection is filed, and shall not be postponed or reset for a later date except upon the consent, in writing, of all the objectors and the public body. If such hearing is not held by the public body within the time herein specified, the Department of Labor may, upon request of the objectors, conduct the hearing on behalf of the public body.

The public body or Department of Labor, whichever has made such determination, is authorized in its discretion to hear each timely filed written objection. Two or more hearings under this Section on the issue of establishing a new prevailing wage classification for a particular craft or type of worker shall be consolidated in a single hearing before the Department. Such consolidation shall occur whether each separate hearing is conducted by a public body or the Department. The party requesting a consolidated hearing shall have the burden of establishing that there is no existing prevailing wage classification for the particular craft or type of worker in any of the localities under consideration filed separately or consolidate for hearing any one or more written objections filed with them. At any such hearing the public body or Department of Labor shall introduce in evidence the investigation it instituted which formed the basis of its determination, and the public body or Department of Labor, or any interested objectors may thereafter introduce such evidence as is material to the issue. Thereafter, the public body or Department of Labor, must rule upon the written objection and make such final determination as it believes the evidence warrants, and promptly file a certified copy of its final determination with such public body and the Secretary of State, and serve a copy by personal service or registered mail on all parties to the proceedings. The final determination by the Department of Labor or a public body shall be rendered within 30 days after the conclusion of the hearing.

If proceedings to review judicially the final determination of the public body or Department of Labor are not instituted as hereafter provided, such determination shall be final and binding.

The provisions of the Administrative Review Law, and all amendments and modifications thereof, and the rules adopted pursuant thereto, shall apply to and govern all proceedings for the judicial review of final administrative decisions of any public body or the Department of Labor hereunder. The term "administrative decision" is defined as in Section 3-101 of the Code of Civil Procedure.

Appeals from all final orders and judgments entered by the court in review of the final administrative decision of the public body or Department of Labor, may be taken by any party to the action.

Any proceeding in any court affecting a determination of the Department of Labor or public body shall have priority in hearing and determination over all other civil proceedings pending in said court, except election contests.

In all reviews or appeals under this Act, it shall be the duty of the Attorney General to represent the Department of Labor, and defend its determination. The Attorney General shall not represent any public body, except the State, in any such review or appeal.

(Source: P.A. 93-38, eff. 6-1-04.)

(820 ILCS 130/11) (from Ch. 48, par. 39s-11)

Sec. 11. No public works project shall be instituted unless the provisions of this Act have been complied with. The provisions of this Act shall not be applicable to Federal construction projects which require a prevailing wage determination by the United States Secretary of Labor. The Illinois Department of Labor represented by the Attorney General is empowered to sue for injunctive relief against the awarding of any contract or the continuation of work under any contract for public works at a time when the prevailing wage prerequisites have not been met. Any contract for public works awarded at a time when the prevailing wage prerequisites had not been met shall be void as against public policy and the contractor is prohibited from recovering any damages for the voiding of the contract or pursuant to the terms of the contract. The contractor is limited to a claim for amounts actually paid for labor and materials supplied to the public body. Where objections to a determination of the prevailing rate of wages or a court action relative thereto is pending, the public body shall not continue work on the project unless sufficient funds are available to pay increased wages if such are finally determined or unless the Department of Labor certifies such determination of the prevailing rate of wages as correct.

Any laborer, worker or mechanic employed by the contractor or by any sub-contractor under him who is paid for his services in a sum less than the stipulated rates for work done under such contract, shall have a right of action for whatever difference there may be between the amount so paid, and the prevailing rate of wages required to be paid on the public works project rates provided by the contract together with costs and such reasonable attorney's fees as shall be allowed by the court. Such contractor or subcontractor shall also be liable to the Department of Labor for 20% of such underpayments and shall be additionally liable to the laborer, worker or mechanic for punitive damages in the amount of 2% of the amount of any such penalty to the State for underpayments for each month following the date of payment during which such underpayments remain unpaid. Where a second or subsequent action to recover underpayments is brought against a contractor or subcontractor and the contractor or subcontractor is found liable for underpayments to any laborer, worker, or mechanic, the contractor or subcontractor shall also be liable to the Department of Labor for 50% of the underpayments payable as a result of the second or subsequent action, and shall be additionally liable to the laborer, worker or mechanic for punitive damages in the amount of for 5% of the amount of any such penalty to the State for underpayments for each month following the date of payment during which the underpayments remain unpaid. The Department shall also have a right of action on behalf of any individual who has a right of action under this Section. An action brought to recover same shall be deemed to be a suit for wages, and any and all judgments entered therein shall have the same force and effect as other judgments for wages. At the request of any laborer, workman or mechanic employed by the contractor or by any subcontractor under him who is paid less than the prevailing wage rate required by this Act, the Department of Labor may take an assignment of such wage claim in trust for the assigning laborer, workman or mechanic and may bring any legal action necessary to collect such claim, and the contractor or subcontractor shall be required to pay the costs incurred in collecting such claim.

(Source: P.A. 94-488, eff. 1-1-06.)

(820 ILCS 130/11b)

Sec. 11b. Discharge or discipline of "whistle blowers" prohibited.

(a) No person shall discharge, discipline, or in any other way discriminate against, or cause to be discharged, disciplined, or discriminated against, any employee or any authorized representative of employees by reason of the fact that the employee or representative has filed, instituted, or caused to be filed or instituted any proceeding under this Act, or has testified or is about to testify in any proceeding resulting from the administration or enforcement of this Act, or offers any evidence of any violation of this Act.

(b) Any employee or a representative of employees who believes that he has been discharged, disciplined, or otherwise discriminated against by any person in violation of subsection (a) of this Section may, within 60 30 days after the alleged violation occurs, apply to the Director of Labor for a review of the discharge, discipline, or alleged discrimination. A copy of the application shall be sent to the person who allegedly committed the violation, who shall be the respondent. Upon receipt of an application, the Director shall cause such investigation to be made as he or she deems appropriate. The investigation shall provide an opportunity for a public hearing at the request of any party to the review to enable the parties to present information relating to the alleged violation. The parties shall be given written notice of the time and place of the hearing at least 30 5 days before the hearing. Upon receiving the report of the investigation, the Director shall make findings of fact. If the Director finds that a violation did occur, he or she shall issue a decision incorporating his or her findings and requiring the party committing the violation to take such affirmative action to abate the violation as the Director deems appropriate, including, but not limited to, the rehiring or reinstatement of the employee or representative of employees to his or her former position and compensating him or her for the time he or she was unemployed. The party committing the violation shall also be liable to the Department of Labor for a penalty of $5,000 for each violation of this Section. If the Director finds that there was no violation, he or she shall issue an order denying the application. An order issued by the Director under this Section shall be subject to judicial review under the Administrative Review Law.

(c) The Director shall adopt rules implementing this Section in accordance with the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act.

(Source: P.A. 94-488, eff. 1-1-06.)

(820 ILCS 130/11a rep.)

Section 10. The Prevailing Wage Act is amended by repealing Section 11a.