If the public body has not withheld enough from the contractor to fully reimburse the workcx,the worker may sue the contractor and the contmcMssuretyfbrthe rcambdq money he or she is owed.= In addition, se&on 2258.053(a) pmides that a co&actor and aggrieved worka must submit to an arbihator auy unresolvedissues mlatingto an alleged underpayment unless the worker snd the contractor settle the issue in a timely msnnczs
In our opinion, chspta 2258 permits a worker to seek a judicial remedy only in one circumstance: whae the public body, having reoeivedthe worka's complaint snd adjudging the allegations substsntiated,withholds an insutlicicnt amount of money to mslcethe underpaid worker whole. Inanyotbasituatio~webeliev~ansgg7idworkaandthe contm&ormusttxytosettle or submit to binding arbitration. We believe this constn&on is collFistent with the Iegi&tive histoty of the arbitration provision which was added in 1993.% The arbitration provision was not inthe19!I3billasitwssin&&cod Rathqthebillss&oducedpmvidedthatacontradaror ~~iSBggricVedbya"public~sdtcisionona~~'Escatitltdtojudidalrcvicw bytrialdenovoinacomtofumgeta&j TbeSenatocommittbconIntergovernmartal RclatioIlsdeleladthctdal&Mwoprovisionbut~~fhatumesolwdissaesshouldbc~~ tobiiarbitration.~ SenatorBarriento%cxplainingtheSaMecommitteesubstitutG indicated thatunderthermbstitute~t]heo~mattathatcanbcappcaladtothe~~isifthccityhas~t retahedenoughmoneytithepaymwtstothe conlmc&tosatis@theawsrdofthearbitrator.~
Wecaonotadviseyouastowhatremadicsanavailabetothcalltgedly~~~pvorkcrs
"See id $9 2258.052(d), .056(a).
'Se id. 5 2258.056(a), (5).
"See id. Q$WS.O23(a), .053(a). 'lb v/o&a sod tbc -mustscttlcm-lvcdissuetidlin15da~ of the public body's initial detumina6on or admit the issue to bimdingatlaikation. See id. 5 2258.053(a).
yseCAct of May 29,1993,73d Leg., RS, ch. 606, sec. 1.0 z(d), (e), 1993 Tax. Gm. JAWS2300,230O-Ol.
wee scoatc comm on IutcrgovcImwn tal RolaIioos, Bii Analysis, C.S.H.B. 560.73d Leg., RS. (1993).
YHcarings on ILB. 560 Before.the senate c4mlm. on Intagov- Rclatio~~~,73d Leg., RS. (May 19, 1993) (statcmcllt of Senator Barrienti) (tape available hm senate staff Scrviccs).
p. 2653 'IheHonorableRen~O. Oliveim - Page 9 W-469)
SUMMARY Assuming that tbe Bolin Science Hsll remodeling project is subject to Govanma&CodechaptczZ258, MidwestemStateUniveasitymustrequire the contractor and subumtractom to pay no less than the local, prevailing wage rate to electriciansworkingon the project unless tbe work is limited to maintenance.
Government C&e chapta 2258 does not as a matter of law prohibit a contractor from paying one worka two ditkent wage rates.
So long ss a public body hss in place a system whereby, prior to the ~itmricwsa~ntractorsrequesttohircacraftortypeofworkanot speeifiedinthecmtractsnddetaminesthel~~wageratc,we do not believe a contra&r who complies with that system violates Govanm~tCodechspta2258. Acontractormaynot, howeva,hkeacmft or type of worka that tbe public body has not approved and detexminedthe preva&gwagerateinadvsnw.
AcoWactorwhopayswodcemlcssthanthepnklingwageratesetout inthecontract~notmay,payasixty-dollarpcnaltytothepublicbody. Itisnotadefensethatthcrmderpaidworkeragreedtoacccptawagerate below the listed, prevs%ng wage rate.
Chapter2258pcrmitsaworkatoseekajudicialnmadyonlyinone circumstance: whae the public body, having tived the work&s complaint and adjudging tbe allegations substantiated, withholds an insdicient smount of money to mske the undexpaidworka whole. In any othasituation,chapta2258 quirks anaggrievedworkeraudtbeco&actor to try to settle the issue or submit to binding arbitration.
DAN MORALES Attorney General of Texas
JORGE VEGA First Assistant Attorney Genersl
SARAH J. SHIRLEY Chair, Opinion Gxnmittee
Prepsred by Kymberly K Oltrogge Assistaut Attorney General
D. 2654