Employers Misclassifying Workers Face Joint Federal/State Investigations

Posted by National Alliance for Fair Contracting on

Brian J. Hoffman, The Legal Intelligencer
November 22, 2016

Employers have often played “fast and loose” with regulations governing workforce classification, tempted by the significant savings associated with independent contractor treatment. As such, in August 2016, Pennsylvania became the 35th state to reach an agreement with federal authorities to coordinate inquiries and share enforcement data in wage and hour investigations.

The Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry (PA DOL) and the United States Department of Labor (“US DOL”) inked a Memorandum of Understanding which serves to facilitate the exchange of information during enforcement actions. Historically, a particular focus of both the US DOL and PA DOL has been the misclassification of employees as independent contractors. Previously, an investigation by the PA DOL or US DOL of an employer would NOT necessarily lead to a reciprocal investigation by the other party. Now, given the execution of the Memorandum of Understanding, employers should expect that a wage and hour investigation by one department will likely lead to an investigation by the other. As such, employers challenged on employment classification practices while under audit will likely see overall liabilities increase during any given inquiry, as both federal and state taxes and penalties will be imposed.

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Wage and Hour Division Final Rule: Executive Order 13706, Establishing Paid Sick Leave for Federal Contractors

Posted by National Alliance for Fair Contracting on

Sept. 30, 2016

The Department of Labor has announced that on September 30, 2016, it will publish a final rule to implement Executive Order 13706, Establishing Paid Sick Leave for Federal Contractors. Executive Order 13706 was signed by President Barack Obama on September 7, 2015, and requires parties that enter into covered contracts with the Federal Government to provide covered employees with up to 7 days of paid sick leave annually, including paid leave allowing for family care. The final rule describes the categories of contracts and employees covered by the Executive Order; the rules and restrictions regarding the accrual and use of paid sick leave; the obligations of contracting agencies, the Department of Labor, and covered Federal contractors under the Order; and the remedies and enforcement procedures to implement the Order’s requirements.

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Q&A: COLLABORATION IS KEY TO CRACKDOWN ON EMPLOYEE MISCLASSIFICATION

Posted by National Alliance for Fair Contracting on

Sep 20, 2016 / by Katherine C. Parris

Employee misclassification causes headaches for both workers and employers, and the federal government and the states are joining hands to ease the pain.

Misclassification often has substantial consequences for all parties involved-employers and workers, as well as the federal government and the states. Misclassifying an employee as an independent contractor may result in denial of minimum wages, overtime compensation, family and medical leave, and unemployment and workplace safety protections. Employers may face costly lawsuits and be liable for unpaid overtime and minimum wages, as well as back pay, court costs and attorneys’ fees.

For these reasons, the Department of Labor is entering into enforcement partnerships with state agencies for “information sharing and coordinated enforcement” in support of its Misclassification Initiative, according to its website.

Joint federal-state efforts likely will continue to play a large role in the future of worker misclassification enforcement as more states enter into formal agreements with the DOL.

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US DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF LABOR & INDUSTRY SIGN AGREEMENT TO PROTECT WORKERS FROM MISCLASSIFICATION

Posted by National Alliance for Fair Contracting on

WHD News Brief: 08/04/2016
Release Number: 16-1603-NAT

Participants: U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division
Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry

Partnership description: The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division and the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry signed a three-year Memorandum of Understanding intended to protect employees’ rights by preventing their misclassification as independent contractors or other non-employee statuses. The two agencies will provide clear, accurate and easy-to-access outreach to employers, employees and other stakeholders; share resources; and enhance enforcement by conducting coordinated investigations and sharing information consistent with applicable law.

Background: The division is working with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service and 31 other U.S. states to combat employee misclassification and to ensure that workers get the wages, benefits and protections to which they are entitled. Labeling employees as something they are not – such as independent contractors – can deny them basic rights such as minimum wage, overtime and other benefits. Misclassification also improperly lowers tax revenues to federal and state governments, as create losses for state unemployment insurance and workers’ compensation funds.

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US DEPARTMENTS OF LABOR, HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT SIGN PARTNERSHIP TO REDUCE EMPLOYEE MISCLASSIFICATION IN SIX WESTERN STATES

Posted by National Alliance for Fair Contracting on

MOU aligns federal departments in effort to ensure full pay, benefits for workers

 

WHD News Release: 08/22/2016
Release Number: 16-1726-DAL

DENVER – Officials from the U.S. Department of Labor and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development signed a Memorandum of Understanding to help stop the misclassification of workers in Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming.

The first MOU of its kind represents a new effort on the part of the agencies to work together to protect employee rights and level the playing field for responsible employers by reducing the practice of misclassification.

In Fiscal Year 2015, the department’s Wage and Hour Division recovered more than $74 million in back wages for more than 102,000 workers in industries, such as janitorial, food, construction, daycare, hospitality and garment. The division regularly finds low-wage workers are victims of misclassification.

The agreement will help both agencies communicate and cooperate more effectively and efficiently in areas of common interest, including cross training staff and providing employers and employees with information about the law. By doing so, the two agencies seek to protect the wages, safety, and health of America’s workforce by sharing information.

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DOL obtains ‘double damages’ for intentional misclassification

Posted by National Alliance for Fair Contracting on

Compensation Management News
August 22, 2016

An employer and its staffing company will pay $1.1 million in back wages and another $1.1 million in damages to resolve U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) findings that they intentionally misclassified workers as independent contractors.

Force Corp., a construction company, created AB Construction to provide it with much of its labor. Force Corp., however, prepared and controlled the payroll and payment procedures for both companies, DOL said in a press release.

During an investigation, the department determined that Force Corp. intentionally misclassified most of its employees to avoid paying them overtime and other benefits. In addition, it used a combination of payroll checks and cash to pay the workers straight time when they should have received overtime pay, DOL said. The department also determined that the employer kept inadequate and inaccurate time and payroll records.

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AZ contractor ordered to pay $48K in worker misclassification case

Posted by National Alliance for Fair Contracting on

By Kim Slowey
July 28, 2016

Dive Brief:

  • The U.S. Department of Labor has ruled that Arizona homebuilder DCO Custom Builders must pay $48,000 in back wages and penalties for misclassifying workers as independent contractors and not paying employees at overtime rates when required – in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act, according to the Arizona Republic.
  • The DOL investigated DCO for two years and ordered the contractor to pay 31 employees $24,255 in unpaid overtime, additional penalty wages and restitution in the amount of $4,604.
  • Despite DCO’s actions, a DOL spokesman said the company is now in compliance with fair labor standards, and DCO managing owner Daniel Osete said the company was unaware it was violating a law and has taken internal measures to make sure the same situation doesn’t happen again.

Dive Insight:

Eric Murray, director of the DOL’s Phoenix Wage and Hour Division office, said misclassifying workers as independent contractors “cheats” employees and taxpayers alike. Murray told the Arizona Republic, “As this outcome shows, we are committed to protecting the rights of construction workers and will use every tool available to hold employers accountable.”

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USDOL Prevailing Wage Seminars for 2016

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Join us at a Prevailing Wage Seminar in your region!

The Wage and Hour Division (WHD) Prevailing Wage Seminars (Prevailing Wage Seminars) are three-day compliance trainings designed for regional stakeholders (unions, private contractors, state agencies, federal agencies and workers). In these seminars, conference participants will learn about the following:

  • The Davis-Bacon Act and McNamara O’Hara Service Contract Act
  • Executive Order 13495 “Nondisplacement of Qualified Workers”
  • Executive Order 13658 “Establishing a Minimum Wage for Contractors”
  • The process of obtaining wage determinations and adding classifications
  • Compliance assistance and enforcement processes
  • The process for appealing wage rates, coverage, and compliance determinations

 

There is no fee to attend these seminars; however, space is limited. If you wish to attend, please click on the registration link for your desired location and follow the registration prompts. Each attendee must register separately. If registration is not yet open for the event you wish to attend, please check back. Please feel free to email WHDPWS@dol.gov if you have any questions.

Date Location
August 23 – 25, 2016 Portland, OR

For more information regarding the upcoming prevailing wage seminars, as well as information on the DBA and SCA visit http://www.dol.gov/whd/govcontracts or call the Wage and Hour Division’s toll-free helpline at 866-4US-WAGE (487-9243).

(Click Here to Register)

US DEPARTMENT OF LABOR SIGNS AGREEMENT TO PROTECT WORKERS FROM MISCLASSIFICATION WITH SOUTH DAKOTA DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND REGULATION

Posted by National Alliance for Fair Contracting on

WHD News Brief: 06/01/2016
Release Number: 16-1055-NAT
Participants: U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division
South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation

Partnership description: The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division and the South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation signed a three-year Memorandum of Understanding intended to protect employees’ rights by preventing their misclassification as independent contractors or other non-employee statuses. The two agencies will provide clear, accurate, and easy-to-access outreach to employers, employees, and other stakeholders, share resources, and enhance enforcement by conducting joint investigations and sharing information consistent with applicable law.

…

Quotes: “The Wage and Hour Division continues to attack this problem head-on through a combination of a robust education and outreach campaign, and nationwide, data-driven strategic enforcement across industries,” said David Weil, administrator of the Wage and Hour Division. “Our goal is always to strive toward workplaces with decreased misclassification, increased compliance, and more workers receiving a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work.” David Weil, U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division Administrator

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US DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, VIRGINIA EMPLOYMENT COMMISSION SIGN AGREEMENT TO PROTECT WORKERS FROM MISCLASSIFICATION

Posted by National Alliance for Fair Contracting on

WHD News Release: 06/16/2016
Release Number: 16-1214-NAT
Participants: U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division
Virginia Employment CommissionPartnership description: The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division and the Virginia Employment Commission signed a three-year Memorandum of Understanding intended to protect employees’ rights by preventing their misclassification as independent contractors or other non-employee statuses. The two agencies will provide clear, accurate and easy-to-access outreach to employers, employees and other stakeholders; share resources; and enhance enforcement by conducting coordinated investigations and sharing information consistent with applicable law.

Background: The division and the U.S. Internal Revenue Service are working with Virginia and 30 U.S. states to combat employee misclassification and to ensure that workers get the wages, benefits and protections to which they are entitled. Labeling employees as something they are not – such as independent contractors – can deny them basic rights such as minimum wage, overtime and other benefits. Misclassification also improperly lowers tax revenues to federal and state governments, as create losses for state unemployment insurance and workers’ compensation funds.

More information on misclassification and the effort are available at http://www.dol.gov/misclassification/.