Apparent Violations of Davis-Bacon Act

A file was returned concerning a dispute over back wages allegedly due under the Davis-Bacon Act. The contractor did not dispute the back wage claim and requested that the Comptroller General distribute the amount withheld to the workers involved. Since the underpayment appeared to have been the result of the contractor's ignorance of the law, rather than a willful intent to underpay the employees, debarment was not warranted. Accordingly, the funds on deposit may be disbursed to the aggrieved workers.