The Torres Consulting & Law Group prevailing wage compliance division helped workers in Utah recover $65,460.63 in back wages and benefits from sprinkler subcontractor AACE Fire, LLC, of Herriman, Utah.
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Wage and Hour Division, in response to a complaint filed by TCLG, found that the sprinkler subcontractor misclassified workers on the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Liberty Boulevard Apartments project. AACE Fire reported employees as general laborers and paid a lower hourly rate, yet the employees were doing sprinkler fitter work and deserved the full prevailing wage and benefits for that classification. The investigation determined that AACE Fire failed to pay prevailing wage and benefits, and failed to report actual wages on its certified payroll. In addition to having to pay back wages and benefits to the workers, AACE Fire’s actions resulted in the debarment of the company, and it will not be allowed to participate in any public works contracts until October 2021.
“When contractors don’t pay their workers what they deserve, families suffer,” said Israel Torres, TCLG’s managing partner. “Our compliance team is committed to holding contractors accountable.”
Davis-Bacon and Related Acts requires that on public project sites, all laborers be paid the full prevailing wage and fringe benefits rate for their classification of work.
TCLG aggressively monitors prevailing wage projects on municipal, state and federal construction contracts for compliance. The firm provides a variety of consulting services, including regulatory compliance and public and government relations, to clients across the United States. The firm’s specialty is Davis-Bacon and prevailing wage compliance for local unions, contractor associations and building trades organizations.