Experienced New York Prevailing Wage Lawyers Recover Fair Wages for Laborers on Public Works Projects

Tough on employers out of compliance with local prevailing wage ordinances

New York has a system of laws that are set out to protect laborers from being paid less than the fair prevailing wages where they are doing a job. Our lawyers at Hepworth, Gershbaum & Roth, PLLC in New York protect workers from being paid less than they deserve for their craftsmanship. Unfortunately, businesses do not always comply with the prevailing wage laws in every county in attempts to cut costs and deceive their employees.

What is a prevailing wage law?

The New York prevailing wage law requires contractors and subcontractors to pay workers under a public works contract the prevailing hourly wage rate, as well as overtime and benefits in accordance with the standards of the location where they are doing work. The prevailing wage laws in New York apply to any workers, laborers or mechanics. The Department of Labor determines these local wages on a county-by-county basis. It is the duty of the employer to be aware of the local wages and pay wages depending on where the work is taking place. Our New York prevailing wage attorneys will hold contractors and subcontractors accountable for not paying hard working laborers the wages they are due.

Common misconceptions about the application of the prevailing wage law in New York

There are a lot of misconceptions that people have about the prevailing wage laws in New York. Businesses with public works contracts normally do not inform their employees about the nuances of prevailing wages out of fear that the employees will use the laws against them to get the wages and benefits that they deserve. A New York wage lawyer can help you sort through the laws and ensure that your employer has complied with the prevailing wage laws. The most common misconceptions about the prevailing wage laws in New York are:

• Prevailing wages are not the same as minimum and living wages

• Prevailing wages only cover private employees that work on projects with a public purpose

• Prevailing wages govern more than wages; they also set out work rules, mandates for overtime pay and fringe benefits

• Prevailing wages are often higher than average wages for similar occupations in the New York City metro region

Prevailing wage attorneys in New York ensuring compliance with local wage requirements

It is the duty of your employer to ensure that you get paid the prevailing wages for location you perform your labor. If your employer fails to live up to that duty, the attorneys of Hepworth, Gershbaum & Roth, PLLC are here to help you recover the full compensation you deserve. To schedule your free initial consultation, contact us online or by phone at 212-545-1199.