> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.tread.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Prevailing Wage

> Flag public-works projects as prevailing wage and manage PW rates, benefit credits, and overtime rules.

## When to use this

Public-works work often requires prevailing wage (PW) — a government wage determination that sets an hourly rate, fringe benefits, and overtime treatment for a jurisdiction and work classification. If a government body funds the work, PW likely applies.

## How it works

**Flag the project.** Mark a [project](/concepts/orders-projects) as prevailing wage. New orders under the project default to PW, and a PW badge shows on the project, on dispatch, and on Approve Jobs order cards — every stakeholder sees the flag.

**Set PW rates on the rate schedule.** A PW rate schedule carries the wage-determination fields: the classification name, the jurisdiction (for example, "Erie, Region 5"), the on-site PW rate, and the total fringe rate. The driver rate covers off-site and travel time. A rate schedule can apply to an equipment type, a material, specific sites, or the whole project. See [Manage Rates](/workflows/manage-rates).

**Record benefit credits.** **Settings → PW Benefits** holds your benefit catalog — health and welfare, pension, and similar. Each Driver's credit toward a benefit is recorded with an effective date. This covers [Internal Drivers and Shared Drivers](/concepts/dispatching-drivers-vendors) both.

<img src="https://mintcdn.com/treadtechnologiesinc/OBZnjjZB9KftXUEl/images/specialized/pw-benefits-settings.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=OBZnjjZB9KftXUEl&q=85&s=873ef64b9405e34a3fbcec85836fb2d6" alt="PW Benefits settings page with the benefit catalog" width="2704" height="1172" data-path="images/specialized/pw-benefits-settings.png" />

**Apply overtime rules.** **Settings → OT Rules** defines when overtime starts (weekly and daily thresholds), the pay multiplier, how fringe is treated during overtime (straight time, premium, or reduced), and whether the rule covers PW hours only or all employer hours. The form lists common DOL schedules for reference — federal Davis-Bacon plus New York, Minnesota, and California patterns — with state-specific advanced options for NY, CA, MN, and NV.

<img src="https://mintcdn.com/treadtechnologiesinc/OBZnjjZB9KftXUEl/images/specialized/pw-overtime-rule-form.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=OBZnjjZB9KftXUEl&q=85&s=6cc7deffce0227360eba7b29b67fa214" alt="Create Overtime Rule form with thresholds, multiplier, and fringe treatment" width="1200" height="1174" data-path="images/specialized/pw-overtime-rule-form.png" />

## Common pitfalls

<Warning>
  **Classification follows the equipment type, not the driver.** PW rates live on rate schedules that can be scoped by equipment type. The same driver can hit two classifications in one shift by switching trucks. Don't assume one driver = one rate for the day.
</Warning>

<Warning>
  **The project flag doesn't set rates.** Flagging a project PW marks the work as prevailing wage — pricing still comes from the PW fields on your rate schedules. A PW project with no PW rate schedule bills at your standard rates.
</Warning>