Public works: prevailing wage rates: employer payment credits.

Existing law defines the term "public works" for purposes of requirements regarding the payment of prevailing wages, the regulation of working hours, and the securing of workers' compensation for public works projects. Existing law further requires that, except as specified, not less than the general prevailing rate of per diem wages, determined by the Director of Industrial Relations as specified, be paid to workers employed on public works projects, and imposes misdemeanor penalties for certain violations of this requirement. Under the law, employer payments are a credit against the obligation to pay the general prevailing rate of per diem wages, except credit is not granted for benefits required under state or federal law. Employer payments include the rate of contribution made by the employer to a trustee or 3rd person pursuant to a plan, fund, or program, the rate of actual costs to the employer anticipated in providing benefits to workers pursuant to a specified enforceable commitment, and payments to the California Apprenticeship Council. This bill would provide that an employer may take credit for those specified employer payments, even if those payments are not made during the same pay period for which credit is taken, if the employer regularly makes those payments on no less than a quarterly basis. This bill would prohibit credit from being granted for employer payments made to monitor and enforce laws related to public works if those payments are not required by a collective bargaining agreement.