Us Code § 3143 - Termination of work on failure to pay agreed wages
Full text of Us Code United States Code § 3143 — Termination of work on failure to pay agreed wages, with citation guidance and answers to common questions.
§ 3143. Termination of work on failure to pay agreed wages
Every contract within the scope of this subchapter shall contain a provision that if the contracting officer finds that any laborer or mechanic employed by the contractor or any subcontractor directly on the site of the work covered by the contract has been or is being paid a rate of wages less than the rate of wages required by the contract to be paid, the Federal Government by written notice to the contractor may terminate the contractor's right to proceed with the work or the part of the work as to which there has been a failure to pay the required wages. The Government may have the work completed, by contract or otherwise, and the contractor and the contractor's sureties shall be liable to the Government for any excess costs the Government incurs.
(Pub. L. 107–217, Aug. 21, 2002, 116 Stat. 1151.)
| Revised Section | Source (U.S. Code) | Source (Statutes at Large) |
|---|---|---|
| 3143 | 40:276a–1. | Mar. 3, 1931, ch. 411, §2, 46 Stat. 1494; Aug. 30, 1935, ch. 825, 49 Stat. 1012. |
The words "The Government may have the work completed" are substituted for "and to prosecute the work to completion . . . thereby" for clarity.
About This Section
40 U.S.C. § 3143 is part of Title 40 of the United States Code. The United States Code is the official codification of federal statutes maintained by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel of the U.S. House of Representatives. Congress amends the Code through new public laws, which are eventually incorporated into the relevant title.
This section may be cited in legal writing as 40 U.S.C. § 3143. For the most current official text, including any recent amendments, use the official source links below. Do not rely on this page as the sole authority for legal citation or litigation.
How to Read This Statute
Statutes are organized by title, chapter, section, and subsection. Pay attention to words like "shall," "may," "and," and "or," because they determine whether a requirement is mandatory or permissive and whether multiple conditions must all be met. Historical notes and amendments often appear at the end of a section.
Using This Page
This page is intended for research and educational use. Lawyers, students, journalists, and compliance professionals can use it as a starting point, but should always verify the current text through an official government source before relying on it for legal advice, filings, or compliance decisions.