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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Should Oregonians start pumping their own gas? ... Oscar-nominated film screening benefits AIFF ... Brava! giving away opera tickets ... Should Oregonians start pumping their own gas? ... Oscar-nominated film screening benefits AIFF ... Brava! giving away opera tickets ... OUR VIEW Our View: Ask first next time Comment DailyTidings.com Writer Posted Jan. 28, 2016 at 12:01 AM Posted Jan. 28, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Social News The confidentiality terms of a settlement between Southern Oregon University and the state Bureau of Labor and Industries leave more questions than answers, but it's safe to say university officials should learn a valuable lesson from the case. The settlement calls for SOU and Texas-based American Campus Communities to pay a combined $2.5 million in back wages that should have gone to workers who built two new residence halls and a dining hall under prevailing-wage rules. SOU is shouldering the bulk of that cost — $1.9 million — while ACC will pay $600,000. Oregon law, sometimes called the "Little Davis-Bacon Act" after the federal law adopted in 1931, requires public-sector construction projects to pay workers at a rate equal to the prevailing wage in the local area for similar work. The $1.9 million will come from the university's housing department, not its operating budget. Officials said money saved and reserved from the construction project would pay most of the settlement, and housing services and fees wouldn't be affected. It's impossible to know exactly why SOU paid wages at a lower rate, but it appears possible that the money was there all along, if paying such a large settlement will be no real burden on the university. It also turns out that, upon request, BOLI will provide a determination in advance of whether a given project is subject to the prevailing wage law. SOU did not request such a determination on this project; clearly it should have done so. DailyTidings.com Writer Posted Jan. 28, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with DailyTidings.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Alerts Email alerts RSS feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2016 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. DailyTidings.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501