San Diego construction company cited $1.7 million for wage theft violations

SAN DIEGO — 

An space enchancment agency was cited for $1.7 million in wage theft violations on Monday for allegedly failing to pay lots of of staff further time wages, Based mostly on a state investigation.

The state’s Labor Commissioner’s Office started wanting into JPI Construction after receiving a report that staff have been solely paid for 40 hours Every week, regardless of persistently working further time on enchancment tasks Inside the San Diego and L. a. spaces.

The investigation decided that from April 2018 to March 2019, staff who did framing and sheetrock work have been paid a flat price That did not embrace further time. When investigators audited The agency’s payroll data, They found timesheets had been illegally modified to take away recorded further time hours, Based mostly on state officers.

The apply resulted in “frequent minimal wage And further time violations,” which affected 265 staff, state officers said.

“Paying staff a flat price Isn’t an excuse To disclaim them The further time hours they earned And will be paid,” said California Labor Commissioner Lilia García-Brower in A press launch. “The legal guidelines in California shield staff. It is important that staff maintain monitor of their hours and pay To permit them to defend themselves.”

The house owners of JPI Construction are interesting the citations, state officers said. The agency declined to Contact upon the allegations when reached by telephone on Monday.

The agency was reported by the Carpenters/Contractors Cooperation Committee, a non-revenue labor-administration group.

That is the second San Diego enchancment agency to be accused of committing wage theft violations in Decrease than Every week. On Friday, federal investigators said that New Imaginative and prescient Drywall Inc. — working as Efficiency Drywall — had denied further time wages to 568 installers, tapers and hangers. A pair of of The staff labored As a lot as 58 hours per week, investigators said.

The investigation led to the restoration of Greater than $860,000 in again wages and liquidated damages for The staff. The agency, based Inside the Bay Ho neighborhood, was furtherly fined almost $50,000.

Workers who think about They’ve not been paid correctly, or Who’ve Questions on completely different labor legal guidelines like retaliation, can get In contact with the state’s Labor Commissioner’s Office by calling (833) 526-4636.