§ 31-54 — Rate of wages for work on state highways.

The Labor Commissioner shall determine the prevailing rate of wages upon any highway contract within any specified area on an hourly basis and the amount of payment or contributions paid or payable on behalf of each employee to any employee welfare fund, as defined in section 31-53, upon any classifications of skilled, semiskilled and ordinary labor. Said commissioner shall determine the prevailing rate of wages on an hourly basis and the amount of payment or contributions paid or payable on behalf of each employee to any employee welfare fund, as defined in section 31-53, in each locality where any highway or bridge is to be constructed, and the Commissioner of Transportation shall include such rate of wage on an hourly basis and the amount of payment or contributions paid or payable on behalf of each employee to any employee welfare fund, as defined in section 31-53, or in lieu thereof, in cash as part of wages each pay day, for each classification of labor in the proposal for the contract and in the contract. The rate and the amount so established shall, at all times, be considered as the minimum rate of wage on an hourly basis and the amount of payment or contributions to an employee welfare fund, or cash in lieu thereof, for the classification for which it was established. Any contractor who pays any person at a lower rate of wage on an hourly basis or the amount of payment or contributions paid or payable on behalf of each employee to any employee welfare fund, as defined in section 31-53, or where he is not obligated by any agreement to make payment or contributions to the employee welfare funds, as defined in section 31-53, and fails to pay the amount of such payment or contributions directly to the employee as a part of his wages each pay day, than that so established for the classifications of work specified in any such contract shall be fined not more than two hundred dollars for each offense. The provisions of this section shall apply only to state highways and bridges on state highways. See Sec. 7-112 re applicability of section to construction, remodeling or repair of public buildings by state agencies or political subdivisions of state.

Legislative History

(1949 Rev., S. 2206; March, 1950, S. 1194d; 1961, P.A. 486, S. 2; 1967, P.A. 494, S. 2; 1969, P.A. 768, S. 260; P.A. 97-263, S. 17; P.A. 21-154, S. 2.) History: 1961 act added establishment of rate on hourly basis and provisions re employee welfare funds; 1967 act replaced references to Sec. 31-78 with references to Sec. 31-53; 1969 act replaced highway commissioner with commissioner of transportation; P.A. 97-263 increased amount of fine from $100 to $200; P.A. 21-154 deleted provision requiring Labor Commissioner to hold hearing to determine prevailing rate of wages upon highway contract.