FAR 52.222-14—Disputes Concerning Labor Standards.
Plain-English Summary
FAR 52.222-14, Disputes Concerning Labor Standards, tells contractors and contracting officers how to handle disagreements that involve labor standards requirements rather than ordinary contract administration issues. It points readers to the Department of Labor’s dispute procedures in 29 CFR parts 5, 6, and 7, and makes clear that those procedures control instead of the contract’s standard Disputes clause. The clause applies to disputes involving labor standards matters between the contractor or subcontractors and the contracting agency, the Department of Labor, or employees or their representatives. In practice, this means wage determinations, prevailing wage compliance, labor classification, and related labor standards issues are routed through the labor-standards process, not treated as routine contract disputes under the CDA-style disputes clause. The clause exists to preserve DOL’s primary role in administering and enforcing labor standards laws and to avoid conflicting resolution paths. For contractors, the practical significance is that the forum, procedure, and decision-maker may be different from what they expect under normal contract disputes.
Key Rules
DOL procedures control
Disputes concerning labor standards requirements must be resolved under the procedures in 29 CFR parts 5, 6, and 7. Those procedures govern instead of the contract’s Disputes clause.
Applies to labor standards issues
The clause covers disputes about labor standards requirements, not all contract disagreements. It is aimed at issues tied to wage and hour labor standards, prevailing wage requirements, and similar labor compliance matters.
Covers multiple dispute parties
The clause expressly includes disputes between the contractor or any subcontractor and the contracting agency, the Department of Labor, or employees and their representatives. The scope is broad enough to capture labor standards disputes regardless of which party raises them.
Subcontractor disputes included
The clause applies not only to the prime contractor but also to disputes involving any subcontractor. Prime contractors should therefore manage subcontract labor compliance carefully because subcontract-level issues can fall within this process.
Standard contract disputes clause does not apply
If a dispute falls within this clause, it is not resolved under the contract’s general Disputes clause. That means the normal contract claims process is not the correct path for labor standards matters covered by DOL procedures.
Responsibilities
Contracting Officer
Identify when a disagreement involves labor standards requirements and route it to the Department of Labor procedures rather than the contract Disputes clause. The contracting officer should coordinate with DOL as needed and avoid issuing a final resolution under the ordinary contract disputes process for covered matters.
Contractor
Recognize that labor standards disputes must be handled through the DOL process, not as ordinary contract claims. The contractor must comply with applicable labor standards requirements, respond through the proper forum, and ensure subcontractors understand and follow the same rules.
Subcontractor
Follow labor standards requirements and participate in the DOL dispute process when a dispute involves subcontract performance or compliance. Subcontractors should not assume the prime contractor’s normal disputes process controls labor standards issues.
Department of Labor
Administer and resolve labor standards disputes under 29 CFR parts 5, 6, and 7. DOL is the primary authority for interpreting and enforcing the labor standards procedures referenced by the clause.
Employees or their representatives
Use the labor standards dispute procedures when raising covered issues concerning wages, classifications, or other labor standards matters. Their disputes are within the scope of the clause when they relate to labor standards requirements.
Practical Implications
Do not file a labor standards issue as a routine contract dispute; the wrong forum can delay resolution and create procedural problems.
Contracting officers should screen disputes early to determine whether they involve labor standards and therefore belong under DOL procedures.
Contractors need strong subcontract oversight because subcontractor labor standards disputes are expressly covered and can affect prime contract performance.
This clause does not eliminate disputes; it changes the process and decision-maker, so parties should expect DOL-centered procedures rather than contracting officer-led resolution.
A common pitfall is mixing labor standards issues with pricing, schedule, or performance claims; if the core issue is labor standards compliance, the DOL process generally controls.
Official Regulatory Text
As prescribed in 22.407 (a) , insert the following clause: Disputes Concerning Labor Standards (Feb 1988) The United States Department of Labor has set forth in 29 CFR parts 5, 6, and 7 procedures for resolving disputes concerning labor standards requirements. Such disputes shall be resolved in accordance with those procedures and not the Disputes clause of this contract. Disputes within the meaning of this clause include disputes between the Contractor (or any of its subcontractors) and the contracting agency, the U.S. Department of Labor, or the employees or their representatives. (End of clause)