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November 5, 2008    DOL Home > ESA > WHD   

Wage and Hour Division (WHD)

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Wage and Hour Division - To promote and achieve compliance with labor standards to protect and enhance the welfare of the nation's workforce.

Copeland "Anti-kickback" Act

TITLE 18, U.S.C.

Sec. 874. Kickbacks from public works employees

"Whoever, by force, intimidation, or threat of procuring dismissal from employment, or by any other manner whatsoever induces any person employed in the construction, prosecution, completion or repair of any public building, public work, or building or work financed in whole or in part by loans or grants from the United States, to give up any part of the compensation to which he is entitled under his contract of employment, shall be fined not more than $5,000 or imprisoned not more than five years, or both."

[18 U.S.C. 874 (June 25, 1948, ch. 645, Sec. 1, 62 Stat. 740, eff. Sept. 1, 1948) replaces the former sec. 1 of the Copeland Act of June 13, 1934 (48 Stat. 948), which was codified as 40 U.S.C. 276b prior to its repeal by 62 Stat. 862, eff. Sept. 1, 1948.]

TITLE 40, U.S.C. (as amended)

Sec. 276c, Regulations governing contractors and subcontractors

"The Secretary of Labor shall make reasonable regulations for contractors and subcontractors engaged in the construction, prosecution, completion or repair of public buildings, public works or buildings or works financed in whole or in part by loans or grants from the United States, including a provision that each contractor and subcontractor shall furnish weekly a statement with respect to the wages paid each employee during the preceding week. Section 1001 of Title 18 of the United States Code (Criminal Code and Criminal Procedure) shall apply to such statements."

[40 U.S.C. 276c, as amended (48 Stat. 948 as amended by 62 Stat. 862, 63 Stat. 108, and 72 Stat. 967) constitutes the Copeland Act in its present form, which is a revision of section 2 of the original Act of June 13, 1934, section 1 of the original Act was repealed coincidentally with its replacement by 18 U.S.C. 874, set out above.]

Reorganization Plan No. 14 of 1950 (15 F.R. 3176, 64 Stat. 1267, 5 U.S.C. 133z note):

"In order to assure coordination of administration and consistency of enforcement of the labor standards provision of each of the [foregoing and other enumerated] Acts by the Federal agencies responsible for the administration thereof, the Secretary of Labor shall prescribe appropriate standards, regulations, and procedures, which shall be observed by these agencies, and cause to be made by the Department of Labor such investigations, with respect to compliance with and enforcement of such labor standards, as he deems desirable, ..."



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