Question

I am supposed to study this question and answer because it is a possible test question, and this is the only one I am unable to answer when it comes to the disadvantages and advantages of a builder. Disadvantages and advantages to a skilled worker -

Describe in as much detail, the key components of the Davis-Bacon Act. What are its advantages and disadvantages to a builder? To a skilled worker?

Answer 1

Builder pattern aims to “Separate the construction of a complex object from its representation so that the same construction process can create different representations.” It is used to construct a complex object step by step and the final step will return the object. The process of constructing an object should be generic so that it can be used to create different representations of the same object.

Advantages of a Builder

• The parameters to the constructor are reduced and are provided in highly readable method calls.
• Builder also helps in minimizing the number of parameters in constructor and thus there is no need to pass in null for optional parameters to the constructor.
• Object is always instantiated in a complete state
• Immutable objects can be build without much complex logic in object building process.

Disadvantages of a Builder

• The number of lines of code increase at least to double in builder pattern, but the effort pays off in terms of design flexibility and much more readable code.
• Requires creating a separate ConcreteBuilder for each different type of Product.

The value of skilled labor is very high. Businessmen want professionals and those who have requisite skills to perform a particular task. A well-trained staff will perform well. Good performance means high profits. An employee acquires necessary skills before taking up a job. He or she attends college or professional institutions to equip him or herself required skills. A prospective employer expects a job applicant to be well versed in his or her area of work.

Advantages of skilled labor

• Higher turnover, in terms of production.
• Well educated staff.
• Higher profits.
• Greater initiative to perform well since professionalism is valued.
• Can handle specific tasks.
• Easy to deal with for manager as he or she can delegate work better.
• Can cope up with competition.

Disadvantages of skilled labor

• Very expensive for the employer as he or she has to pay more.
• An employee is limited to his or her area of work. Cannot be multi-tasking.
• Difficult to get trained staff.
• Substitution of staff maybe difficult, in case a particular staff member is absent.

Davis Bacon Act

The Davis Bacon Act is a federal law that mandates on-site workers be paid certain wages, benefits, and overtime (also known as “prevailing wage”) on all government-funded construction, alteration, and repair projects. The bill was enacted by Congress in 1931, and in 2013 President Barack Obama signed the Streamlining Claims Processing for Federal Contractor Employees Act, which passed authority of the Davis Bacon Act to the United States Department of Labor.

Advantages of a Builder

• Covered employees can be paid both wage and fringe portions in cash;
• The employer can pay the wage portion in cash and the fringe portion through a contribution to a benefit plan;
• A combination of cash wages paid and bona fide fringe benefits may be used together to meet the total required prevailing wage. Fringe benefits include retirement plans, life insurance, health insurance, supplemental unemployment benefits, and vacation, holiday and sick leave.

Disadvantages of a Builder

1) Misclassification of laborers and mechanics.

(2) Failure to pay full prevailing wage, including fringe benefits, for all hours worked (including overtime hours).

(3) Inadequate recordkeeping, such as not counting all hours worked or not recording hours worked by an individual in two or more classifications during a day.

(4) Failure of to maintain a copy of bona fide apprenticeship program and individual registration documents for apprentices.

By protecting the wages of higher-skilled workers from low-wage, less-skilled competition, Davis-Bacon raises employee productivity and offsets the cost of paying higher hourly rates. Better-managed firms and more skilled employees also tend to work more safely, reducing the number of accidents, lowering workers compensation costs, and preventing damage to materials and equipment.