Chapter 104 Overview

Yesterday we held the free Chapter 104 Overview workshop for the largest audience yet. Chapter 104, Hawaii Revised Statutes is the Hawaii version of the federal Davis-Bacon Act. Forty-nine people showed up out of 55 signed up. That tells me that interest in compliance and participating in public works is increasing. I remember when we had to beg people to attend just to get 6 attendees a few years ago when we started this. I enjoy teaching the class because I hear first hand what the concerns are with the law. There were several specific questions identified this time that I'll be addressing in future blogs.

2010 Legislative Session is Here

The 2010 Legislative session opened last Wednesday, January 20. The main issue at the DLIR concerns lessening the blow of the Unemployment Tax increase for businesses that is expected this year due to the high unemployment. WSD has spotted some issues introduced by others that may effect the Wage Standards Division, but we'll wait on any comments until the measures are assigned a hearing.

October Furlough Fridays

The Department of Labor and Industrial Relations will be closed on October 23, and October 30, 2009, due to a furlough as agreed with the HGEA and the Governor as a result of the current economic situation in Hawaii.

Columbus Day - Not a State Holiday

This is a reminder for contractors and subcontractors working on state and county public works projects. Columbus Day, October 12, 2009, is not a State holiday and therefor mechanics and laborers working on the public site can be paid straight time. When submitting your certified payroll this week for last week's work, be sure and check your records, this is one holiday that doesn't pay overtime.

Itemizing Fringe Benefits on Certified Payrolls

Act 10, First Special Session 2009, became effective October 1, 2009. This means that anyone submitting a certified payroll on a public works job subject to Chapter 104, Hawaii Revised Statutes, now has to provide an itemized list of the fringe benefits paid to laborers and mechanics along with their certified payroll. The Department of Labor and Industrial Relations (DLIR) worked with the Department of Accounting and General Services (DAGS) to adapt a form currently being used by DAGS on public works construction.

The Public Works Division of DAGS has numerous forms available on their website arranged according to the stage of construction. The adapted form for Act 10 is an xcel file found under "Ongoing Construction" on the Public Works Administration of Construction Page and is called "Statement of Compliance and DAGS ECP for Payroll Affidavits". http://hawaii.gov/pwd/Members/ib/forms/index_html. The DAGS adapted form is actually four worksheets.

Act 10 only pertains to the worksheet of the adapted form labeled "Weekly Statement of Compliance" which lists the itemized fringe benefits. The Certifited Payroll worksheet form is unchanged. WSD will be focusing their educational efforts in the comming months on this issue as well as some of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) issues.

How Four-Day Weeks Work | GOVERNING

How Four-Day Weeks Work | GOVERNING

Shared via AddThis

Thought this article had some interesting information and wanted to keep it on the forefront for any discussions down the road.

Unemployment rate revealed in teen labor permits issued.

Wage Standards had issued close to 12,000 work permits in Fiscal Year 2007 and 2008to minors under the age of 18. The busiest period is the time just before and right after school lets out for the summer. This summer we saw almost a 30% decrease in the permits issued in the last quarter of the fiscal year which ends on June 30. Comments from parents and teens indicate that teens are feeling the same pain as their parents. Although they wanted to work and submitted numerous job applications, they weren't getting the call backs.