The wage rate on the wage determination is the prevailing rate for the occupation in the locality. The prevailing rate then becomes the minimum rate that the contractor must pay its employees working on the contract.

Very generally, DOL calculates the prevailing wage by comparing the employer's requirements for the job with the 'normal' requirements for the job. Using the job duties the employer provides on the ETA-9141, DOL will select what it believes to be the most appropriate SOC O*NET code.

Wage Determinations are issued for four types of construction categories: building, residential, highway, and heavy.

These Service Contract Labor Standards (formerly the Service Contract Act) wage determinations apply to Multiple Award Schedule contracts that offer services. MAS contracts incorporate these wage determinations by reference. These wage determinations are updated once a year.