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(d) REQUIREMENTS FOR ADVANCES.-An advance shall not be made under subsection (a) for an individual project (including a regional, metropolitan, or other areawide project) unless

(1) the project is planned to be constructed within or over a reasonable period of time considering the nature of the project;

(2) the project conforms to an overall state, local, or regional plan approved by a competent state, local, or regional authority; and

(3) the public agency or Indian tribe formally contracts with the Federal Government to complete the plan preparation promptly and to repay part or all of the advance when due. (e) REGULATIONS.-The Secretary may prescribe regulations to carry out this chapter.

§ 3503. Revolving fund

(a) ESTABLISHMENT.-There is a revolving fund established by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to provide amounts for advances under this chapter. The fund comprises amounts appropriated under this chapter and all repayments and other receipts received in connection with advances made under this chapter.

(b) AUTHORIZATIONS.-Not more than $70,000,000 may be appropriated to the revolving fund as necessary to carry out the purposes of this chapter.

§ 3504. Surveys of public works planning

The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development may use during a fiscal year not more than $100,000 of the amount in the revolving fund established under section 3503 of this title to conduct surveys of the status and current volume of state and local public works planning and surveys of estimated requirements for state and local public works. In conducting a survey, the Secretary, may use or act through any department or agency of the Federal Government, with the consent of the department or agency. § 3505. Forgiveness of outstanding advances

In accordance with accounting and other procedures the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development prescribes, each advance made by the Secretary under this chapter that had any principal amount outstanding on February 5, 1988, was forgiven. The terms and conditions of any contract, or any amendment to a contract, for that advance with respect to any promise to repay the advance were canceled.

Sec.

CHAPTER 37-CONTRACT WORK HOURS AND SAFETY STANDARDS

3701. Definition and application.

3702. Work hours.

3703. Report of violations and withholding of amounts for unpaid wages and liq

uidated damages.

3704. Health and safety standards in building trades and construction industry. 3705. Safety programs.

3706. Limitations, variations, tolerances, and exemptions.

3707. Contractor certification or contract clause in acquisition of commercial items not required.

3708. Criminal penalties.

§ 3701. Definition and application

(a) DEFINITION.-In this chapter, the term "Federal Government" has the same meaning that the term "United States" had in the Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act (Public Law 87581, 76 Stat. 357).

(b) APPLICATION.—

(1) CONTRACTS.-This chapter applies to

(A) any contract that may require or involve the employment of laborers or mechanics on a public work of the Federal Government, a territory of the United States, or the District of Columbia; and

(B) any other contract that may require or involve the employment of laborers or mechanics if the contract is

one

(i) to which the Government, an agency or instrumentality of the Government, a territory, or the District of Columbia is a party;

(ii) which is made for or on behalf of the Government, an agency or instrumentality, a territory, or the District of Columbia; or

(iii) which is a contract for work financed at least in part by loans or grants from, or loans insured or guaranteed by, the Government or an agency or instrumentality under any federal law providing wage standards for the work.

(2) LABORERS AND MECHANICS.-This chapter applies to all laborers and mechanics employed by a contractor or subcontractor in the performance of any part of the work under the contract

(A) including watchmen, guards, and workers performing services in connection with dredging or rock excavation in any river or harbor of the United States, a territory, or the District of Columbia; but

(B) not including an employee employed as a seaman. (3) EXCEPTIONS.—

(A) THIS CHAPTER.-This chapter does not apply to(i) a contract for

(I) transportation by land, air, or water;

(II) the transmission of intelligence; or

(III) the purchase of supplies or materials or articles ordinarily available in the open market; (ii) any work required to be done in accordance with the provisions of the Walsh-Healey Act (41 U.S.C. 35 et seq.); and

(iii) a contract in an amount that is not greater than $100,000.

(B) SECTION 3902.-Section 3902 of this title does not apply to work where the assistance described in subsection (a)(2)(C) from the Government or an agency or instrumentality is only a loan guarantee or insurance.

$3702. Work hours

(a) STANDARD WORKWEEK.-The wages of every laborer and mechanic employed by any contractor or subcontractor in the performance of work on a contract described in section 3701 of this title shall be computed on the basis of a standard workweek of 40 hours. Work in excess of the standard workweek is permitted

subject to this section. For each workweek in which the laborer or mechanic is so employed, wages include compensation, at a rate not less than one and one-half times the basic rate of pay, for all hours worked in excess of 40 hours in the workweek.

(b) CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS.-A contract described in section 3701 of this title, and any obligation of the Federal Government, a territory of the United States, or the District of Columbia in connection with that contract, must provide that—

(1) a contractor or subcontractor contracting for any part of the contract work which may require or involve the employment of laborers or mechanics shall not require or permit any laborer or mechanic, in any workweek in which the laborer or mechanic is employed on that work, to work more than 40 hours in that workweek, except as provided in this chapter; and (2) when a violation of clause (1) occurs, the contractor and any subcontractor responsible for the violation are liable

(A) to the affected employee for the employee's unpaid wages; and

(B) to the Government, the District of Columbia, or a territory for liquidated damages as provided in the contract. (c) LIQUIDATED DAMAGES.-Liquidated damages under subsection (b)(2)(B) shall be computed for each individual employed as a laborer or mechanic in violation of this chapter and shall be equal to $10 for each calendar day on which the individual was required or permitted to work in excess of the standard workweek without payment of the overtime wages required by this chapter.

(d) AMOUNTS WITHHELD TO SATISFY LIABILITIES.-Subject to section 3703 of this title, the governmental agency for which the contract work is done or which is providing financial assistance for the work may withhold, or have withheld, from money payable because of work performed by a contractor or subcontractor, amounts administratively determined to be necessary to satisfy the liabilities of the contractor or subcontractor for unpaid wages and liquidated damages as provided in this section. $3703. Report of violations and withholding of amounts for unpaid wages and liquidated damages

(a) REPORTS OF INSPECTORS.-An officer or individual designated as an inspector of the work to be performed under a contract described in section 3701 of this title, or to aid in the enforcement or fulfillment of the contract, on observation or after investigation immediately shall report to the proper officer of the Federal Government, a territory of the United States, or the District of Columbia all violations of this chapter occurring in the performance of the work, together with the name of each laborer or mechanic who was required or permitted to work in violation of this chapter and the day the violation occurred.

(b) WITHHOLDING AMOUNTS.—

(1) DETERMINING AMOUNT.-The amount of unpaid wages and liquidated damages owing under this chapter shall be determined administratively.

(2) AMOUNT DIRECTED TO BE WITHHELD.-The officer or individual whose duty it is to approve the payment of money by the Government, territory, or District of Columbia in connection with the performance of the contract work shall direct the amount of—

(A) liquidated damages to be withheld for the use and benefit of the Government, territory, or District; and

(B) unpaid wages to be withheld for the use and benefit of the laborers and mechanics who were not compensated as required under this chapter.

(3) PAYMENT.-The Comptroller General shall pay the amount administratively determined to be due directly to the laborers and mechanics from amounts withheld on account of underpayments of wages if the amount withheld is adequate. If the amount withheld is not adequate, the Comptroller General shall pay an equitable proportion of the amount due.

(c) RIGHT OF ACTION AND INTERVENTION AGAINST CONTRACTORS AND SURETIES.-If the accrued payments withheld under the terms of the contract are insufficient to reimburse all the laborers and mechanics who have not been paid the wages required under this chapter, the laborers and mechanics, in the case of a department or agency of the Government, have the same right of action and intervention against the contractor and the contractor's sureties as is conferred by law on persons furnishing labor or materials. In those proceedings it is not a defense that the laborers and mechanics accepted or agreed to accept less than the required rate of wages or voluntarily made refunds.

(d) REVIEW PROCESS.

(1) TIME LIMIT FOR APPEAL.-Within 60 days after an amount is withheld as liquidated damages, any contractor or subcontractor aggrieved by the withholding may appeal to the head of the agency of the Government or territory for which the contract work is done or which is providing financial assistance for the work, or to the Mayor of the District of Columbia in the case of liquidated damages withheld for the use and benefit of the District.

(2) REVIEW BY AGENCY HEAD OR MAYOR.-The agency head or Mayor may review the administrative determination of liquidated damages. The agency head or Mayor may issue a final order affirming the determination or may recommend to the Secretary of Labor that an appropriate adjustment in liquidated damages be made, or that the contractor or subcontractor be relieved of liability for the liquidated damages, if it is found that the amount is incorrect or that the contractor or subcontractor violated this chapter inadvertently, notwithstanding the exercise of due care by the contractor or subcontractor and the agents of the contractor or subcontractor.

(3) REVIEW BY SECRETARY.-The Secretary shall review all pertinent facts in the matter and may conduct any investigation the Secretary considers necessary in order to affirm or reject the recommendation. The decision of the Secretary is final.

(4) JUDICIAL ACTION.-A contractor or subcontractor aggrieved by a final order for the withholding of liquidated damages may file a claim in the United States Court of Federal Claims within 60 days after the final order. A final order of the agency head, Mayor, or Secretary is conclusive with respect to findings of fact if supported by substantial evidence. (e) APPLICABILITY OF OTHER LAWS.

(1) REORGANIZATION PLAN.-Reorganization Plan Numbered 14 of 1950 (eff. May 24, 1950, 64 Stat. 1267) applies to this chapter.

(2) SECTION 3145.-Section 3145 of this title applies to contractors and subcontractors referred to in section 3145 who are engaged in the performance of contracts subject to this chapter. § 3704. Health and safety standards in building trades and construction industry

(a) CONDITION OF CONTRACTS.

(1) IN GENERAL.-Each contract in an amount greater than $100,000 that is entered into under legislation subject to Reorganization Plan Numbered 14 of 1950 (eff. May 24, 1950, 64 Stat. 1267) and is for construction, alteration, and repair, including painting and decorating, must provide that no contractor or subcontractor contracting for any part of the contract work shall require any laborer or mechanic employed in the performance of the contract to work in surroundings or under working conditions that are unsanitary, hazardous, or dangerous to health or safety, as established under construction safety and health standards the Secretary of Labor prescribes by regulation based on proceedings pursuant to section 553 of title 5, provided that the proceedings include a hearing similar in nature to that authorized by section 553.

(2) CONSULTATION.-In formulating standards under this section, the Secretary shall consult with the Advisory Committee created by subsection (d) of this section.

(b) COMPLIANCE.

(1) ACTIONS TO GAIN COMPLIANCE. The Secretary may make inspections, hold hearings, issue orders, and make decisions based on findings of fact as the Secretary considers necessary to gain compliance with this section and any health and safety standard the Secretary prescribes under subsection (a). For those purposes the Secretary and the United States district courts have the authority and jurisdiction provided by sections 4 and 5 of the Walsh-Healey Act (41 U.S.C. 38, 39).

(2) REMEDY WHEN NONCOMPLIANCE FOUND.-When the Secretary, after an opportunity for an adjudicatory hearing by the Secretary, establishes noncompliance under this section of any condition of a contract described in

(A) section 3701(b)(1)(B)(i) or (ii) of this title, the governmental agency for which the contract work is done may cancel the contract and make other contracts for the completion of the contract work, charging any additional cost to the original contractor; or

(B) section 3701(b)(1)(B)(iii) of this title, the governmental agency which is providing the financial guarantee, assistance, or insurance for the contract work may withhold the guarantee, assistance, or insurance attributable to the performance of the contract.

(3) NONAPPLICABILITY.-Section 3703 of this title does not apply to the enforcement of this section. (c) REPEATED VIOLATIONS.—

(1) TRANSMITTAL OF NAMES OF REPEAT VIOLATORS TO COMPTROLLER GENERAL.-When the Secretary, after an opportunity for an agency hearing, decides on the record that, by repeated willful or grossly negligent violations of this chapter, a contractor or subcontractor has demonstrated that subsection (b) is not effective to protect the safety and health of the employees of the contractor or subcontractor, the Secretary shall make

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