The Connecticut Department of Labor has issued stop-work orders to 60 construction companies this year, including contractors at nine work sites in Fairfield County, after a 2007 law authorized the agency to check whether employers are complying with workers”™ compensation insurance requirements.
Labor department inspectors have been interviewing workers at job sites and crosschecking against state records to determine if companies have adequate workers”™ compensation coverage, as well as whether a company has registered with the Connecticut secretary of state”™s office. The inspectors have also referred potential violations to federal agencies like the Department of Homeland Security, the Internal Revenue Service, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
“During our first year working with this legislation, we have found it to be an effective tool in leveling the playing field in the construction industry,” said Gary Pechie, director of wage and workplace standards at the Department of Labor, in a prepared statement. “Our site inspections have revealed cases where employers are misclassifying employees and identifying them as independent contractors so that they are not provided workers”™ compensation coverage. In other instances, we have found that employers are under-reporting the number of employees by paying wages in cash and not keeping accurate records.”
According to the Department of Labor, companies hit with stop orders include:
Ӣ Avel Construction of Stamford
Ӣ Campos Brothers Construction of Norwalk
Ӣ LG Drywall of Bridgeport
Ӣ Miguel Palencia Carpentry of Stamford
Ӣ National Carpentry of Stamford
Ӣ Robert D. Scinto Inc. of Shelton
Ӣ Rufino Carpentry of Stamford
Ӣ Suarez Construction of Danbury.
