By MICHAEL CONNORS
Staff Writer
Published: 7/26/2019 3:12:28 PM
Easthampton – The city is exploring new rules that would require construction employers who are either hired by the city or receive municipal tax relief to abide by a set of conditions in an effort to discourage wage theft.
The proposed amendment to the city ordinances is set for a public hearing in front of the City Council on Aug. 7. It requires any bidder, proposer, contractor or subcontractor receiving public funds or tax relief to sign an affidavit stating they will abide by wage laws, attempt to meet certain diversity requirements and submit detailed records of employee work to the city.
City Councilor Owen Zaret said the proposal comes at a time when the city is planning to fund multiple construction projects. He said having rules on the books to protect construction workers from theft was an important step going forward.
“I think it’s important to make a statement through … municipal projects in Easthampton that (workers) are classified, covered and paid appropriately,” Zaret said. “It’s about fairness for workers and workers’ rights.”
Too often, he said, contractors classify laborers as independent contractors instead of employees – allowing them to not have to pay employer taxes on workers or provide employment insurance such as workers’ compensation. There can also be instances of workers not being paid for the amount of hours worked, he said.
Though Zaret said he was not personally aware of any such activity happening in Easthampton, he believes the city should follow the example of other cities like Springfield, which passed a similar ordinance in 2018.
Under the proposal, contractors hired for work by the city must prove, on a weekly basis, that they have not been debarred or found to be in violation of labor laws in the past five years, provide accident insurance, classify workers as employees, pay fair wages and give employment preference to Easthampton residents.