This bill, sponsored by Assemblyman Wayne DeAngelo and signed into law on July 9, 2019, gives the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development the power to issue a stop-work order if an employer has paid a worker less than the prevailing wage. The stop-work order will apply to every construction site where the violation occurred and the employer must pay a fine, return any back-wages owed and agree to pay future wages at the required rate.

Why it matters to working people.

Prevailing wage laws serve as a wage floor and ensure a level playing field for workers and contractors alike. It ensures construction projects are top-quality by using highly skilled and well-trained workers to complete projects on time and on budget.

What people are saying.

“Prevailing wage prevents unscrupulous contractors from low-balling bids and undercutting community wages with cheap, unskilled labor; and this new law will help ensure work is performed by trained workers and that those workers are rewarded fairly for their labor.” —Charles Wowkanech, New Jersey State AFL-CIO President