HVAC Contractor Practice Exam 2025 - Free HVAC Practice Questions and Study Guide

The Walsh-Healey Public Contracts Act is the law that mandates minimum wage rates and overtime pay on contracts for the provision of goods to the federal government. This act applies primarily to contracts with the federal government for the manufacture or supply of goods, ensuring that workers are paid fairly for their labor. Specifically, it requires that workers be compensated at least at the federally established minimum wage and receive overtime pay at a rate of not less than one and a half times their regular pay for hours worked over 40 in a workweek.

This law is significant for protecting workers' rights in government contracts, thus promoting fair competition and labor standards. It ensures that companies providing goods to the government uphold minimum labor standards, which ultimately benefits the workforce at large.

Other laws mentioned either do not pertain to contracts with the federal government specifically or focus on different aspects of labor relations. For example, the Davis-Bacon Act pertains to prevailing wage rates for laborers and mechanics on federally funded or assisted construction projects, while the Equal Pay Act of 1963 addresses wage discrimination based on sex. Wage garnishment laws relate more to the collection of debts directly from earnings rather than wage rates and conditions of employment in government contracts.