LI firm pays $1.45M in prevailing wage settlement

Posted by National Alliance for Fair Contracting on

By: David Winzelberg
April 6, 2022

The New York State Department of Labor has reached a $1.45 million settlement with a Long Island contractor for failing to pay prevailing wage for a public works project.

The agreement with Calverton-based Miller Environmental Group stemmed from the company’s contract with PSEG Long Island to address oil spills and soil contamination, conduct clean-up, and perform other work supporting utility installation, according to a DOL statement.

Investigators confirmed that Miller Environmental failed to bid the contract at prevailing wage rates and that PSEG Long Island failed to inform Miller Environmental that this contract involved public work. After discussions on the matter, Miller Environmental agreed to pay 88 employees the full underpayment amount, making those payments in January and February.

Contractors and subcontractors must pay the prevailing rate of wage and supplements to all workers under a public works contract based on the locality where the work is performed, according to state law. Third parties contracted on behalf and for the benefit of a public entity are also subject to the prevailing wage requirements. Because PSEG Long Island operates Long Island Power Authority’s electrical transmission and distribution infrastructure, its contracts are subject to those requirements.

“In New York State, we believe workers deserve a fair wage for a fair day’s work,” DOL Commissioner Roberta Reardon said in the statement. “Protecting workers is a top priority to the New York State Department of Labor. We remain vigilant to ensure that employers are properly compensating employees for the work that they do. We will never stop protecting the paychecks of hard-working New Yorkers.”

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Wareham Paving Company Cited Over $1 Million for Not Paying Workers and Failing to Keep Payroll Records on Public Projects

Posted by National Alliance for Fair Contracting on

Jan. 19, 2022
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Office of Attorney General Maura Healey
The Attorney General’s Fair Labor Division

BOSTON — A Wareham Company and its owners have been cited more than $1.2 million in restitution and penalties over allegations that they did not pay prevailing wages to employees and failed to furnish accurate payroll records, Attorney General Maura Healey announced.

Rochester Bituminous Products, Inc., its President, Thomas Russo, Manager, Albert Todesca, and Treasurer, Michael P. Todesca, were issued 25 citations by the AG’s Office for failing to pay prevailing wages to employees on various public projects including projects for the City of Boston, Town of Mattapoisett, and the Boston Water & Sewer Commission, and failure to furnish true and accurate payroll records to the AG’s Office, and failure to submit true and accurate certified payroll records to an awarding authority on a weekly basis for work performed to the above mentioned locations as well as Plymouth, Abington, Canton, Weymouth, Bridgewater, and Sharon. Through the citations, the AG’s Office is seeking penalties from Rochester Bituminous for its violations of state labor laws, and restitution for 22 employees it allegedly harmed.

“Companies have an obligation to pay their workers the wages they’ve earned,” said AG Healey. “We are issuing these citations to secure relief for workers who were cheated by this company’s illegal practices.”

In 2019, the AG’s Fair Labor Division began investigating whether Rochester Bituminous was paying its workers the proper prevailing wage for paving work done for the City of Boston. The division also received several complaints from past and present workers of the company, alleging that they had not been paid prevailing wages for work performed.

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