FAR 22.1018—Notification to contractors and employees.
Plain-English Summary
FAR 22.1018 tells the contracting officer how to make sure service employees are properly notified about the minimum wages and fringe benefits required under the Service Contract Labor Standards (SCLS) statute. It covers three related notice duties: informing the contractor of the labor standards requirements and the contractor’s responsibilities after award, providing Department of Labor Publication WH-1313 for posting at the worksite before performance begins, and attaching any applicable wage determination to that notice. In practice, this section is about making the SCLS notice process work at the start of contract performance so employees know what compensation they are entitled to and contractors understand their compliance obligations. It also ties directly to the notice requirement in the SCLS clause at FAR 52.222-41, meaning the contracting officer’s actions help satisfy the contract’s employee-notification requirements. The section is important because failure to provide the required notice can lead to confusion, wage-and-fringe-benefit compliance problems, and potential labor standards violations.
Key Rules
Inform contractor promptly
As soon as possible after award, the contracting officer must tell the contractor about the labor standards requirements in the contract and the contractor’s responsibilities under the Service Contract Labor Standards statute, unless the contractor is already clearly fully informed.
Provide WH-1313 at award
At the time of award, the contracting officer must furnish Department of Labor Publication WH-1313, Notice to Employees Working on Government Contracts, so it can be posted in a prominent and accessible place at the worksite before performance begins.
Posting must be visible
The WH-1313 notice is intended for employee posting at the worksite, and it must be placed where service employees can readily see and access it before contract performance starts.
Attach wage determination
If a wage determination applies, it must be attached to Publication WH-1313 so employees are informed of the specific wages and fringe benefits required for the contract.
Notice satisfies clause requirement
The WH-1313 publication serves to satisfy the notice requirement in paragraph (g) of FAR 52.222-41, Service Contract Labor Standards, when properly furnished and posted.
Responsibilities
Contracting Officer
Inform the contractor of SCLS labor standards requirements and contractor responsibilities as soon as possible after award; furnish WH-1313 at award; attach any applicable wage determination; and ensure the notice process is completed so employees are properly informed before performance begins.
Contractor
Receive the labor standards information and WH-1313, post the notice at a prominent and accessible worksite location before performance begins, and comply with the contract’s wage and fringe benefit requirements.
Employees
Review the posted notice to understand the minimum wages and fringe benefits required for the contract; this section does not impose affirmative duties on employees, but it is intended to inform them of their rights.
Department of Labor
Provides Publication WH-1313, the standard notice used to inform employees working on government contracts of required compensation under the Service Contract Labor Standards statute.
Practical Implications
This is a start-of-performance compliance step, not a paperwork formality; if the notice is late or missing, employees may not know their pay and benefit rights and the contractor may be exposed to labor standards issues.
Contracting officers should not assume the contractor already knows the rules unless that is truly clear; when in doubt, provide the notice and explain the requirements.
The wage determination must match the contract and be attached to the notice when applicable; using the wrong wage determination is a common and serious mistake.
Posting location matters: the notice must be in a prominent and accessible place at the worksite, so a hidden or hard-to-reach posting may not satisfy the requirement.
Because WH-1313 satisfies the FAR 52.222-41 notice requirement, contracting officers should verify that the contractor actually posts it before work starts, especially on multi-site or remote service contracts.
Official Regulatory Text
The contracting officer shall take the following steps to ensure that service employees are notified of minimum wages and fringe benefits. (a) As soon as possible after contract award, inform the contractor of the labor standards requirements of the contract relating to the Service Contract Labor Standards statute and of the contractor’s responsibilities under these requirements, unless it is clear that the contractor is fully informed. (b) At the time of award, furnish the contractor Department of Labor Publication WH-1313, Notice to Employees Working on Government Contracts, for posting at a prominent and accessible place at the worksite before contract performance begins. The publication advises employees of the compensation (wages and fringe benefits) required to be paid or furnished under the Service Contract Labor Standards statute and satisfies the notice requirements in paragraph (g) of the clause at 52.222-41 , Service Contract Labor Standards. (c) Attach any applicable wage determination to Publication WH-1313.