Under this act, protection is now extended to workers engaged in laundry and dry-cleaning, custodial and janitorial duties, guard service, packing and crating, food service, and miscellaneous housekeeping services performed on contract for the Federal Government or the District of Columbia.”
–President Lyndon B. Johnson, upon signing into law the Service Contract Act in 1965.
If you are working for a contractor or subcontractor employed on a federal contract, you are likely entitled to many additional employment protections not afforded to other employees. For example, the Service Contract Act applies to employees working on many types of service contracts with the government. The SCA grants employees minimum prevailing wages and benefits. These benefits typically include vacation and an additional hourly wage for fringe benefits. If you do not use your vacation, you are entitled to be paid for the vacation each year on the anniversary of your employment. You are also entitled to be paid any unused vacation at the completion of the contract or when your employment is terminated.