Can My Wages Change Based on The States I Work In?

Dear Compliance Man,

My husband is a heavy equipment operator for a company based in New England. Almost all the roadwork that they do is in Massachusetts, but he only receives the rate for our state, which is lower. Is he entitled to the MA rate when he is working there?

–An Inquiring Wife

Dear Inquiring Wife,

Yes. Regardless of the worker’s state of residence, union status, or employer’s business location, when working on public projects in Massachusetts, he is entitled to the full prevailing wage set for that project. Don’t let the boss play games with your husband’s pay. While the contractor may deduct for legitimate programs such as health and welfare or pension, etc., the entire package must add up to the full prevailing wage set for that trade.

The actual rate is supposed to be posted at the job site but more often it can be found inside the Clerk of the Works’ trailer. You can also call us for the specific project rate. Most importantly, be sure that your husband keeps a log book of all of his projects along with hours worked, plus all paystubs. We’ll send you a log book free of charge or you can download a simple log book here.

For more commonly asked Compliance Man questions, visit the Compliance Man archives. Send your question to info@ffcm.org.