A new Virginia law has made general contractors on large projects liable for the wages of subcontractors’ employees.
The statute’s main provisions are as follows:
· Makes the general contractor—and all tiers of subcontractors working on the project—contractually liable to pay their subcontractor’s employees’ wages
· Requires payments equal or to exceed those required by applicable statutes, such as Virginia’s Minimum Wage Act and the federal Fair Labor Standards Act
· Deems contractors to be the employers of their subcontractors’ employees for purposes of Virginia Code § 40.1-29, which imposes criminal liability and civil penalties for failing to pay employees’ wages when due
· Gives all employees the right to sue jointly or as a class action, imposes liquidated damages equal to the wage amounts owed, awards reasonable attorney’s fees, and—in cases of willful violations—imposes triple damages.
The statute applies to contracts entered into after July 1, 2020. It governs construction projects valued at $500,000 or more. The new law does not apply to single-family residential construction projects.
Related Stories
Codes and Standards | Jan 25, 2017
Standard baseline for measuring building efficiency needed
EUI could push sustainability through market-driven approach.
Codes and Standards | Jan 23, 2017
Workers, local officials rally for new construction safety law in New York City
The new law would require those who work on 10-story-plus buildings to go through an apprenticeship program.
Codes and Standards | Jan 23, 2017
Prominent Atlanta construction executive faces charges in $1 million bribery scheme
The company has worked on some major projects, including Hartsfield Airport.
Codes and Standards | Jan 20, 2017
New resource lists green incentives by state
USGBC's new Public Policy Library includes tax and energy benchmarking policies.
Codes and Standards | Jan 18, 2017
How green leases benefit owners and tenants
Agreements to spur efficiency upgrades are slowly gaining popularity.
Codes and Standards | Jan 17, 2017
Intl. Code Council looks into code changes for cross-laminated timber structures
Most codes limit CLT structures’ height.
Codes and Standards | Jan 16, 2017
Building codes for existing buildings evaluated in new white paper
The paper examines implementation, enforcement challenges, and changes needed in new code editions.
Codes and Standards | Jan 13, 2017
New BIM guide for owners released
National Institute of Building Sciences releases a manual for developing standard set of BIM documents.
Codes and Standards | Jan 11, 2017
OSHA prompts more proactive approach to construction site safety
Remote operated camera systems are being used to mitigate risk in real time.
Codes and Standards | Jan 10, 2017
Plunging solar power costs making PVs more compelling for owners, developers
Technical and manufacturing advances are driving down prices.