July 2024 - Compliance Update

July 2024

Now Live: DIR’s Modernized Public Works Website Services

The modernized Public Works website services are now live!

If you attempt to access the legacy PWC-100, PWCR, and eCPR applications, you will be redirected to the new system, where you will have to register a new account, as previous logins will not work.

This major update will significantly enhance the user experience of DIR’s Public Works Website services, bringing a unified platform with new features and a modern design. If you experience technical difficulties, which are common with new platform launches, we will work to quickly resolve them.

To assist with the transition and ongoing usage of the new platform, Public Works has a new Support Center with resources to help with the transition. A link to this new site can also be found on the navigation bar of the new platform.

As a reminder, some key changes with the new platform include:

Awarding body users will need to:

Create a new user account (logins from the current applications will not work).
Find their awarding body via a search.
Request to link their user account with their awarding body.

Contractor users will need to:

Create a new user account (logins from the current applications will not work).
Create a new account for their contractor, inputting their PWCR number to ensure their registration status is maintained.
Request to join projects to submit eCPRs (if not already added by awarding body).
Prime contractors can also request to add subcontractors to projects.

Support Center

Not sure how to do something? See our how-to guides.

Got a question? Explore our Frequently Asked Questions.

Need to get in touch? Reach out to DIR Public Works.

Need updates? Sign up for our communications.

How-To Guides

Search for a Project | Audience (Awarding Bodies, Contractors) | Guide
Search for a Contractor | Audience (Awarding Bodies, Contractors) | Guide
Search for an eCPR | Audience (Awarding Bodies, Contractors) | Guide
Create a User Account | Audience (Awarding Bodies, Contractors) | Guide
Reset-Your-Password | Awarding Bodies, Contractors | Guide
Create an Account for an Awarding Body or Development Proponent | Audience (Awarding Bodies) | Guide
Link Your User Account to an Awarding Body or Development Proponent | Audience (Awarding Bodies) | Guide
Use the Awarding Body Project Dashboard |Audience (Awarding Bodies) | Guide
Export a Project from the Awarding Body Project Dashboard | Audience (Awarding Bodies) | Guide
View Your Awarding Body Information | Audience (Awarding Bodies) | Guide
Register a Project | Audience (Awarding Bodies) | Guide
Edit a Project | Audience (Awarding Bodies) | Guide
How to Migrate your Contractor Account from Legacy System / Create New Contractor Account | Audience (Contractors) | Guide
Link Your User Account to a Contractor | Audience (Contractors) | Guide
Renew or Register a Contractor | Audience (Contractors) | Guide
Use the Contractor Project Dashboard | Audience (Contractors) | Guide
View Your Contractor Information| Audience (Contractor) | Guide
Invite a User to Your Contractor | Audience (Contractors) | Guide
Update a User | Audience (Awarding Bodies, Contractors) | Guide
Update an Empolyee | Audience (Awarding Bodies, Contractors) | Guide
Join a Project to Submit eCPRs | Audience (Contractors) | Guide
Add an Employee | Audience (Contractors) | Guide
Import Employees | Audience (Contractors) | Guide
Submit a Manual Payroll Record | Audience (Contractors) | Guide
Submit an XML Payroll Record | Audience (Contractors) | Guide
Amend an eCPR | Audience (Contractors) | Guide
Export a Project from the Contractor Project Dashboard | Audience (Contractors) | Guide

Inflation Reduction Act- Final Regulations

(Courtesy of attorney Deborah Wilder, President Contractor Compliance Monitoring Inc. and ABC NorCal member).

Final regulations relating to prevailing wage requirements were published June 25, 2024. Here are a few highlights:

Federal Davis Bacon rates apply to the construction, alteration or repair of a qualifying facility. This includes;
Construction of the facility
Any part of the 10 year period after the facility is placed into service
Prevailing wages are set based on the first day construction, alteration or repair of the facility applies.
If construction starts June 1, 2024, then the wage determination which applies on that date will be enforceable for both the construction and the following 10 year period after the facility is placed into service
If there is no initial construction, but just maintenance and repair, then the first date that work starts will the determine the wage determination.
Wage determinations can be found at www.sam.gov
Not only does the Davis Bacon Act apply, but also the Copeland Anti Kickback Act and rules governing apprenticeship from the U.S. Department of Labor
The Apprenticeship Requirement is 10%, 12.5% and 15% depending on when construction started on the project.
A project either needs to meet this requirement of apprenticeship employment; or
Request an apprentice from a DOL or State approved apprenticeship committee, obtain proof of delivery of the request; provide 5 days for the committee to refer an apprentice, and agree to any special requirements of the apprenticeship committee. If no apprentice is dispatched, then the contractor receives a waiver for that apprenticeship trade for 1 year.
Note: If you have apprentices you are currently using from a DOL approved program, you can reassign those apprentices to any of your ORA projects across the country and that apprentice still counts as a bona fide apprentice for that project even if they do not come from a local apprenticeship program.
There is no apprenticeship requirements for maintenance or repair to a facility, once construction is complete and the facility is placed in service.
These regulations go into effect August 26, 2024.

If you want to read the final regulations (90 pages) where you can see more information about compliance and tax credits, you can find it HERE.

Standards Board Adopts Standard to Protect Workers from Indoor Heat

This standard applies to most indoor workplaces and requires safety measures to go into effect when the indoor temperature reaches 87°F to prevent the risk of heat illness to workers

Sacramento—The Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board approved on June 20 an indoor heat standard to protect indoor workers from heat illness. The new regulation will require indoor workplaces to be cooled below 87 degrees Fahrenheit if feasible when employees are present, and below 82 degrees if feasible in places where workers wear protective clothing that restricts heat removal or work in high radiant heat areas.

Local and state correctional facilities as well as emergency operations directly involved in the protection of life or property are exempted from the proposed regulation for indoor heat. Cal/OSHA is in the process of developing an industry-specific regulation for local and state correctional facilities to protect their workers from indoor heat hazards. In the interim, for these exempted employers, Cal/OSHA will continue investigating potential indoor heat violations under existing regulations such as the Injury and Illness Prevention Program (Title 8, Section 3203) and Water Supply (Title 8, Section 3363).

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: On June 20, 2024, the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board approved California Code of Regulations, Title 8, section 3396, “Heat Illness Prevention in Indoor Places of Employment.” The Office of Administrative Law (OAL) has 30 working days to review and approve or deny the proposal. The Standards Board requested that the regulation take effect immediately after OAL approval.

WHY IT MATTERS: Cal/OSHA’s Heat Illness Prevention in Indoor Places of Employment regulation applies to most indoor workplaces, such as restaurants, warehouses, and manufacturing facilities. For indoor workplaces where the temperature reaches 87 degrees Fahrenheit, employers must take steps to protect workers from heat illness. Some of the requirements include providing water, rest, cool-down areas, methods for cooling down the work areas under certain conditions, and training.

Employers may be covered under both the indoor and outdoor regulations if they have both indoor and outdoor workplaces. See the Comparison Chart of Indoor and Outdoor Heat Illness Prevention Standards.

The Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board, a seven-member body appointed by the Governor, is the standards-setting agency within the Cal/OSHA program. The Standards Board's objective is to adopt reasonable and enforceable standards that are at least as effective as federal standards. The Standards Board also has the responsibility to grant or deny applications for variances from adopted standards and respond to petitions for new or revised standards.

Cal/OSHA helps protect workers from health and safety hazards on the job in almost every workplace in California. Employers and workers who have questions or need assistance with workplace health and safety programs can call Cal/OSHA’s Consultation Services Branch at 800-963-9424.

There are more resources for employers and workers on Cal/OSHA’s Heat Illness Prevention web page and the 99calor.org informational website, as well as a Heat Illness Prevention online tool. The advisory includes a toll free number for workers who have questions about heat illness prevention in indoor and outdoor places of employment can speak with a Cal/OSHA representative, 1-833-579-0927, and information on how to file confidential complaints with Cal/OSHA district offices about workplace safety and health hazards.

Media Contact: Communications@dir.ca.gov, (510) 286-1161