construction financial management association chicago chapter

Construction Pay Compliance: Navigating Davis-Bacon, FLA, NLRA, and Incentive Pay Rules

2026 Mini-Conference Breakout Session III
10:45 - 11:40 am
1 CPE

Session Overview

This session breaks down the wage and hour rules construction employers face today, from Davis-Bacon and prevailing wage requirements to FLSA overtime and incentive pay compliance. Attendees will also learn how collective bargaining agreements and labor market pressures, such as demand-driven sectors like data centers, factor into pay strategy and compliance risk..

Key Takeaways

• Explain the purpose and origins of the Davis-Bacon Act, including its sponsorship and development into the modern Davis-Bacon and Related Acts framework.
  
  
• Distinguish general prevailing wage concepts from Davis-Bacon federal prevailing wage requirements.
  
  
• Compare federal and state prevailing wage requirements and explain how they relate to certified payroll obligations.
  
  
• Apply core FLSA overtime principles, including regular rate rules for incentive pay, bonuses, and certain reimbursements.
  
  
• Recognize NLRA protections related to wage and overtime concerns.
  
  
• Review wage provisions under the applicable collective bargaining agreement and evaluate their impact on overtime pay.
  
  
• Assess how labor shortages in high-demand sectors, such as data centers, influence pay strategy, incentive design, and compliance risk.

Ewa Zakrzewski, CPA, CCIFP,
CFO, Gurtz Electric Company

Ewa serves as Chief Financial Officer of Gurtz Electric Co., bringing nearly two decades of financial leadership experience within the construction industry. Throughout her tenure with Gurtz, she has held progressively responsible roles across the organization, including payroll, accounting, financial operations, and reporting. In her current role, Ewa oversees the company’s financial strategy, reporting framework, and operational finance functions, helping ensure compliance across state, federal, and union requirements while supporting disciplined growth and sound risk management.

Ewa earned both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Accounting from Roosevelt University. She is a Certified Public Accountant licensed in Illinois, a Certified Construction Industry Financial Professional (CCIFP), and a Construction Risk and Insurance Specialist (CRIS). She is also actively engaged in the construction finance community as a board member of the CFMA Chicago Chapter and a member of CFMA Peer Group 16.

Stephanie Dinkel
Partner, Koehler & Dinkel LLC

Stephanie represents and counsels employers in various labor and employment law matters, from general human resource matters through trial. Stephanie successfully defends employers in various types of employment related matters, including but not limited to discrimination and harassment claims, wage and hour claims, non-compete cases, breach of contract, and unemployment matters. She has experience in representing employers in State and Federal court and before various administrative agencies including the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Illinois Department of Human Rights, Illinois Department of Labor, and the Illinois Department of Employment Security.

Stephanie earned her Juris Doctor cum laude from DePaul University College of Law where she was an Editorial Board Member for the DePaul Law Review. Stephanie is licensed to practice in Illinois and is admitted to practice before the Seventh Circuit, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (Trial Bar), Eastern District of Michigan, Western District of Wisconsin, and Southern District of Indiana. She is also a CFMA Board Member and member of the West Suburban Bar Association, Board of Governors.