United States ex rel. Sheet Metal Workers International Ass'n, Local Union 20 v. Horning Investments, LLC

**Union Loses Case Against Construction Company Over Federal Wage Requirements** This case involved Sheet Metal Workers Local Union 20 suing Horning Investments, a construction company, for allegedly lying about paying required wages on a federal project. Under the Davis-Bacon Act, contractors working on federal construction projects must pay workers "prevailing wages" - typically higher rates that match local union scales. The union claimed Horning made false statements to the government about following these wage rules, which would violate the False Claims Act. The court ruled in favor of Horning Investments. The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals found that the union didn't provide enough evidence to prove Horning knowingly lied about complying with wage requirements. Without proof that the company deliberately made false statements, there was no valid case under the False Claims Act. This decision matters for workers because it shows how difficult it can be to win wage theft cases against government contractors. Workers and unions must gather strong evidence proving employers knowingly violated wage laws, not just that violations occurred. The ruling highlights the importance of careful documentation when federal prevailing wage requirements aren't being met on public construction projects.