The state Department of Labor has ordered five contractors to stop working on construction of a Chase Bank branch at 149 Amity Rd.
DOL Commissioner Sharon Palmer announced the stop-work orders Thursday morning.
They followed a site inspection Wednesday prompted by a referral from the federal Occupational Safety & Health Administration, according to a state DOL release.
The interviewees “could not provide records indicating that they were properly registered in Connecticut, and unable to provide required records showing proof of worker’s compensation. Often, these violations indicate employers are misclassifying workers as independent contractors instead of employees of the company.
Agency investigators spoke with members of the five contractors working on the job, four of whom come from New York State, one from New Jersey.
The interviewees “could not provide records indicating that they were properly registered in Connecticut, and unable to provide required records showing proof of worker’s compensation. Often, these violations indicate employers are misclassifying workers as independent contractors instead of employees of the company,” the DOL release stated. “Employers will misclassify workers as independent contractors with the intent of avoiding their obligations under federal and state employment laws covering such matters as workers’ compensation, unemployment taxes and payroll reporting. When the agency suspects misclassification abuse, a Stop Work Orders is issued, which result in the halting of all activity at a cited company’s worksite, as well as a $300 civil penalty for each day the company does not carry workers’ compensation coverage as required by law.”