Apprentice rates are lower for a reason, and Washington attaches rules to every one of them. Registration, supervision ratios, step-level pay, and what it really costs you when a foreman covers the ratio.

There's a version of prevailing wage compliance that works fine. One project, a handful of direct subs, a staff member who's familiar enough with the requirements to keep things moving. A compliance system that might be a little informal but hasn't caused any problems. Then the company grows. Two projects become four. One state becomes two. That handful of subs becomes thirty across multiple tiers, multiple wage determinations, and multiple submission deadlines every week. An