Thread: Contractors targeted by pay measure

http://www.nydailynews.com/boroughs/sto ... 5162c.html

Contractors targeted by pay measure

BY LAURA WILLIAMS
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

Crooked contractors, beware.

A new law that would stiffen penalties against contractors who cut corners by hiring illegal immigrants and nonunion workers is winding its way through the state Legislature.

The bill would update the current prevailing-wage law, which is nearly a century old.

"Despite many amendments over the years, many of its civil and criminal enforcement provisions are not up to the task," Nassau County District Attorney Denis Dillon said.

This latest proposal, which state Sen. Charles Fuschillo (R-Merrick) said has already passed the Senate's Labor Committee, upgrades the crime of failing to pay the prevailing wage from an unclassified misdemeanor to a class A misdemeanor for a first offense - and a class E felony for a repeat offense.

That means a defendant would face a year in prison for a first offense, compared with the current penalty of fines and a short suspension.

The proposed changes would also close loopholes in the current law that allow subcontractors and "noncorporate entities" to avoid criminal prosecution for paying substandard wages.

And it requires government agencies - such as towns, school districts and libraries - to collect payrolls to ensure workers are paid fairly.

The current law not only allows contractors to exploit illegal immigrants and nonunion laborers, it also takes jobs away from qualified locals, Fuschillo said.

"We're seeing contractors come from all over the country because they see they just get a slap on the wrist" for flouting the law, he said.

"Honest contractors who pay their workers the correct wage report they can no longer compete," Dillon added.

Labor reps heartily support the new bill because the current law lets crooked contractors "shaft the workers," said Phil Capobianco, business representative for Local 138, which handles heavy equipment for road and building construction.

"The materials cost the same no matter who does the work, so the contractor can keep all the money," he said.

The DA drafted updates to the bill, which were incorporated into the piece of legislation introduced by Fuschillo and Assemblyman Tom DiNapoli (D-Great Neck).

This is not the only recent bipartisan effort from these lawmakers. Last month, they introduced legislation - also championed by Dillon - to stiffen penalties against fake lawyers.

Originally published on May 16, 2005

Outstanding!! Realize that many of the "contractors" are illegal alien owned firms that run their own independent operation....as subs and direct service. These illegal operations hurt legal American owned companies.

This is New York guys. They're well known for NOT enforcing the law. They can make laws till the cows come home but it's not a given that they will be utilized.

After all, NYC's mayor gets on the air every Friday telling ILLEGALS not to be afraid! No one will CHECK and that the police are not to be feared. COME ON IN AND TAKE ALL THE FREEBIES.........we're here to help the much needed "undocumented workers." Grrrrrrrrrrrr

Look how that horrific murder of the woman in New City has quickly sunk into oblivion.

PATAKI JUST SIGNED THE LAW FOR ILLEGALS TO OBTAIN LICENSES. That's New York! {NJ is just as bad}

Pataki is Puss!!

I think the law is funny. How many illegals are going to call the police and tell them that they are being paid below standard wages?

I think the law is funny. How many illegals are going to call the police and tell them that they are being paid below standard wages?

First DMAN & now you JP........a good chuckle!

Please understand that ILLEGALS are ALLOWED {in NY} to do ANYTHING THAT THEY WANT TO DO!! That includes picketing & protesting, DEMANDING THEIR RIGHTS {LOL} suing the city and generally running everything including what's nailed down!!

And I mean "nailed down" such as building illegal walls in buildings that kill our firefighters!!!

The Moral of this story is that............ILLEGALS WILL SUE EMPLOYERS FOR NOT GIVING THEM HIGHER WAGES, they'll be helped by some communist/socialist NGO............AND THEY'LL WIN