116 STAT. 1154 PUBLIC LAW 107-217—AUG. 21, 2002 (b) PAYMENTS.— (1) IN ACCORDANCE WITH REGULATIONS. — Volunteers described in subsection (a) who are performing services directly to a state or local government or public agency may receive pay- ments of expenses, reasonable benefits, or a nominal fee only in accordance with regulations the Secretary of Labor prescribes. Volunteers who are performing services directly to a public or private nonprofit entity may not receive those pay- ments. (2) CRITERIA AND CONTENT OF REGULATIONS. —In prescribing the regulations, the Secretary shall consider criteria such as the total amount of payments made (relating to expenses, benefits, or fees) in the context of the economic realities. The regulations shall include provisions that provide that— (A) a payment for an expense may be received by a volunteer for items such as uniform allowances, protective gear and clothing, reimbursement for approximate out-of- pocket expenses, or the cost or expense of meals and transportation; (B) a reasonable benefit may include the inclusion of a volunteer in a group insurance plan (such as a liability, health, life, disability, or worker's compensation plan) or pension plan, or the awarding of a length of service award; and (C) a nominal fee may not be used as a substitute for compensation and may not be connected to productivity. (3) NOMINAL FEE.— The Secretary shall decide what constitutes a nominal fee for purposes of paragraph (2)(C). The decision shall be based on the context of the economic realities of the situation involved. (c) ECONOMIC REALITY.—In determining whether an expense, benefit, or fee described in subsection (b) may be paid to volunteers in the context of the economic realities of the particular situation, the Secretary may not permit any expense, benefit, or fee that has the effect of undermining labor standeirds by creating downward pressure on prevailing wages in the local construction industry. SUBCHAPTER VI—MISCELLANEOUS §3171. Contract authority when appropriation is for less than full amount Unless specifically directed otherwise, the Administrator of General Services may make a contract within the full limit of the cost fixed by Congress for the acquisition of land for sites, or for the enlargement of sites, for public buildings, or for the erection, remodeling, extension, alteration, and repairs of public buildings, even though an appropriation is made for only part of the amount necessary to carry out legislation authorizing that purpose. §3172. Extension of state workers* compensation laws to buildings, works, and property of the Federal Government (a) AUTHORIZATION OF EXTENSION. —The state authority charged with enforcing and requiring compliance with the state workers' compensation laws and with the orders, decisions, and aweirds of the authority may apply the laws to all land and premises in the State which the Federal Government owns or holds by
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