AG HEALEY ASSESSES MORE THAN $326,000 IN RESTITUTION AND PENALTIES AGAINST CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES IN FIRST QUARTER OF 2016

AG HEALEY ASSESSES MORE THAN $326,000 IN RESTITUTION AND PENALTIES AGAINST CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES IN FIRST QUARTER OF 2016

Part of an Ongoing Effort by the AG’s Office to Address Wage Theft in the Industry

       

BOSTON – As part of an ongoing effort to address wage theft in the construction industry, Attorney General Maura Healey has issued 29 civil citations against construction companies from January 2016 through March 2016, an increase from the previous two quarters. Restitution for employees of the various employers totaled nearly $260,000 and the companies were fined a total of more than $68,000. 

            “Wage theft is a real issue in Massachusetts, including in the construction industry where dishonest companies continue to cheat their employees,” AG Healey said. “Our office is working to level the playing field so that workers are paid fairly and contractors who follow the rules are not at a disadvantage.”

            Violations in these cases included the failure to pay proper wages, failure to pay overtime, retaliation and failure to furnish records for inspection. For work performed on public construction projects in the state, the violations included the failure to pay the prevailing wage, failure to submit true and accurate certified payroll records, and failure to register and pay apprentices appropriately.

The AG’s Office issued citations against the following construction companies in the first quarter of 2016:

• AK Electric, Inc. and owner Anibal C. Alves for more than $61,000 in restitution and penalties for violations relating to work performed on a public construction project at UMass Amherst;
• Boston Electric & Telephone Corp. and its owner Gerard Cardillo for more than $48,000 for failing to pay the proper prevailing wage and failing to submit true and accurate certified payroll records;
• C&M Construction d/b/a CM Construction and its owner William A. Leone for more than $14,000 in restitution and penalties for failure to pay the proper overtime and failure to furnish records to the AG’s Office;
• Felix Painting and its owner Felix Mendez Soto for more than $12,300 in restitution and penalties for failure to pay the proper overtime rate; and
• Glenshane III, LLC and its owner Patrick McKenna for more than $8,000 in restitution and penalties for failure to pay the proper overtime rate.

The AG’s Office cited 11 other companies for more than $180,000 in restitution and penalties for various violations.

           

            AG Healey is committed to protecting the economic security of Massachusetts residents, particularly vulnerable workers. These cases were handled by AG Healey’s Fair Labor Division, which is responsible for enforcing the laws regulating the payment of wages, including prevailing wage, minimum wage and overtime laws.

            Workers who believe that their rights have been violated in their workplace are encouraged to call the Office’s Fair Labor Hotline at (617) 727-3465. More information about the state’s wage and hour laws is also available in multiple languages at the Attorney General's Workplace Rights website www.massworkrights.com.