Maryland’s Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation (“DLLR”) has developed regulations that go into effect on July 1, 2013 with respect to a new requirement for contractors and subcontractors that perform work on some state-funded projects in the State of Maryland. Under the new set of regulations, contractors and subcontractors working on public works projects that are governed by the Maryland Prevailing Wage law will now have to make contributions toward apprenticeship training programs in the amount of 25 cents per hour for each employee who is required to be paid the prevailing wage. This new regulation applies to general contractors on projects where the base prime contract amount is $500,000.00 or more, and on such projects, subcontractors are also required to make contributions if the subcontract has a base subcontract amount of $100,000.00 or more. Under the regulations, contractors and subcontractors whose contracts meet the $500,000.00 and $100,000.00 value requirements will have a choice to make the contributions to the Maryland State Apprenticeship Training Fund or to a private apprenticeship program that has been certified by the DLLR. This choice may be designated on the DLLR’s website at https://www.dllr.state.md.us/prevwage.
The regulations have a number of other requirements that should be carefully reviewed by contractors and subcontractors prior to submitting bids on state and local projects, and can be found on the DLLR’s website at: http://www.dllr.state.md.us/regs/propreg-dliappr-comar211112.shtml.