Which U.S. law governs wages and working conditions for federal contractors supplying manufactured goods?

The Walsh–Healey Public Contracts Act governs wages and working conditions for many federal contractors supplying manufactured goods.

Congress enacted the law in 1936. It applies to certain federal contracts for the manufacture or furnishing of materials, supplies, articles, or equipment exceeding the statutory threshold. Covered contracts include labor standards such as minimum wage, overtime requirements, safety obligations, and restrictions on oppressive child labor.

The act is different from the Davis–Bacon Act, which generally covers federally funded construction, and the Service Contract Act, which covers many government service contracts. These laws are often grouped together because all impose labor standards on particular categories of federal contracting.

The U.S. Department of Labor administers and enforces the act’s labor-standard provisions. Its name honors Senators David Walsh and David Lewis, who sponsored the legislation.