Empire State Prevailing Wage Calculator
Calculate total prevailing wage costs for New York State public works projects per Article 8 of the New York Labor Law. Enter the base prevailing wage rate, supplemental benefits, hours worked, and overtime hours to determine total labor costs.
Formulas Used
Regular Wage Cost (per worker/week):
RWC = Base Wage Rate × Regular Hours
Overtime Wage Cost (per worker/week) — NY Article 8 mandates 1.5× for OT:
OWC = Base Wage Rate × 1.5 × Overtime Hours
Double-Time Wage Cost (per worker/week):
DWC = Base Wage Rate × 2.0 × Double-Time Hours
Supplemental Benefits — paid on all hours at straight-time rate:
SBC = Supplemental Benefits Rate × (Regular + OT + Double-Time Hours)
Total Cost Per Worker Per Week:
TCPW = RWC + OWC + DWC + SBC
Grand Total:
GT = TCPW × Number of Workers × Number of Weeks
Effective All-In Hourly Rate:
EHR = TCPW ÷ Total Hours Per Worker
Assumptions & References
- Calculations are based on New York Labor Law Article 8, which governs prevailing wages on public works projects in New York State.
- Overtime is calculated at 1.5× the base prevailing wage rate for hours exceeding 8 per day or 40 per week, per NY DOL guidelines.
- Double-time (2×) applies to Sundays, holidays, and certain shift conditions as defined in the applicable wage schedule.
- Supplemental benefits (fringe benefits) are paid at the straight-time rate on all hours worked, including overtime and double-time hours, per NY DOL prevailing wage schedules.
- Prevailing wage rates vary by trade, county, and project type. Rates must be obtained from the NY Department of Labor Prevailing Wage Schedule for the specific project.
- This calculator does not include employer payroll taxes (FICA, FUTA, SUTA), workers' compensation insurance, or general liability insurance, which are additional labor burden costs.
- Contractors must post the prevailing wage schedule at the job site and maintain certified payroll records per NY Labor Law § 220.
- Apprentice rates may differ; apprentices must be registered with the NY DOL Bureau of Apprenticeship Training.
- Reference: NY DOL Bureau of Public Work | NY Labor Law Article 8, §§ 220–223.