How to Dispute a Wage Determination
Feb 19, 2026
While wage determinations are issued by the DOL based on local wage surveys, they sometimes contain errors or fail to reflect current local conditions. Contractors who believe a WD is incorrect have several options.
Pre-Award Disputes
Before a contract is awarded, contractors may file objections with the contracting agency, which forwards them to the DOL Wage and Hour Division. Objections must be based on factual grounds — typically evidence that the WD rate is higher than the locally prevailing wage as shown in the DOL survey data.
Post-Award Disputes
After award, disputes go through an administrative process with the WHD. If the WHD rules against the contractor, appeals can be taken to the Administrative Review Board (ARB).
What Grounds Are Valid?
Valid grounds include: mathematical errors in the WD, use of outdated survey data, incorrect geographic area, or classification errors. Disagreement with the outcome of a correctly conducted survey is generally not sufficient.