29 C.F.R. § 5.18
§ 5.18 Remedies for retaliation. (29 CFR Part 5)
Operative Text
(a) Administrator request to remedy violation. When the Administrator finds that any person has discriminated in any way against any worker or job applicant in violation of § 5.5(a)(11) or (b)(5), or caused any person to discriminate in any way against any worker or job applicant in violation of § 5.5(a)(11) or (b)(5), the Administrator will notify the person, any contractors for whom the person worked or on whose behalf the person acted, and any upper tier contractors, as well as the relevant contracting agency(ies) of the discrimination and request that the person and any contractors for whom the person worked or on whose behalf the person acted remedy the violation. (b) Administrator directive to remedy violation and provide make-whole relief. If the person and any contractors for whom the person worked or on whose behalf the person acted do not remedy the violation, the Administrator in the notification of violation findings issued under § 5.11 or § 5.12 will direct the person and any contractors for whom the person worked or on whose behalf the person acted to provide appropriate make-whole relief to affected worker(s) and job applicant(s) or take appropriate remedial action, or both, to correct the violation, and will specify the particular relief and remedial actions to be taken. (c) Examples of available make-whole relief and remedial actions. Such relief and remedial actions may include, but are not limited to, employment, reinstatement, front pay in lieu of reinstatement, and promotion, together with back pay and interest; compensatory damages; restoration of the terms, conditions, and privileges of the worker's employment or former employment; the expungement of warnings, reprimands, or derogatory references; the provision of a neutral employment reference; and the posting of a notice to workers that the contractor or subcontractor agrees to comply with the Davis-Bacon Act and Related Acts anti-retaliation requirements.
Under 29 CFR Part 5 § 5.18, when the Administrator determines that someone has retaliated against a worker or job applicant in violation of anti-retaliation rules tied to the Davis-Bacon Act and Related Acts, a formal process is triggered. The Administrator first requests that the responsible party correct the violation; if that request goes unheeded, the Administrator can direct that affected workers or applicants receive make-whole relief. That relief can include back pay with interest, reinstatement or front pay, compensatory damages, removal of negative employment records, and neutral references, among other remedies.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Although 29 CFR Part 5 § 5.18 is a federal labor regulation rather than a residential landlord-tenant rule, contractors and subcontractors on federally funded or assisted construction projects should be aware that the Administrator actively monitors compliance with anti-retaliation requirements. A compliant operator generally maintains clear documentation showing that employment decisions are made on legitimate grounds and responds promptly to any Administrator inquiry or request to remedy a reported violation. Failing to address an initial request can escalate to a formal directive specifying particular relief obligations, including back pay, reinstatement, and record expungement.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Workers and job applicants on Davis-Bacon-covered projects who believe they have experienced retaliation can look to 29 CFR Part 5 § 5.18 as the framework governing how the Administrator investigates and remedies such violations. If a violation is found, affected individuals may be entitled to remedies such as reinstatement, back pay, removal of negative employment records, or a neutral reference. Workers in this situation may consider contacting the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division or reaching out to a worker-rights organization to understand available enforcement paths.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated September 4, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
Effective Timeline
References Out
No outbound references recorded yet for this provision.
References In
No inbound references recorded yet for this provision.