The State of NJ site may contain optional links, information, services and/or content from other websites operated by third parties that are provided as a convenience, such as Google Translate. This division enforces labor laws that address conditions of employment and wages, including overtime, payroll deductions, benefits, hours of work, breaks, holiday pay, employment certificates for minors, etc. This investigation found 76 employees to be owed $94,114 in unpaid overtime wages. NJDOL agents also found that Men of Steel was not a registered New Jersey Public Works Contractor. "New Jersey's lifeguards put their lives on the line for the . In addition to its own violations, P & B also contracted with at least 5 other lower tier sub-contractors who also failed to properly classify their employees and pay them properly. Department of Labor & Workforce Development, Governor Phil Murphy Lt. The plan was funded primarily by employer contributions. Governor Sheila Oliver, Department of Labor and Workforce Development. To review the laws enforced by the Division, click here. A to Z, Consumers & Clients - Individuals and Families, Office of Program Integrity & Accountability (OPIA), Disasters & Emergencies - Help & Information, Providers & Stakeholders: Contracts, Legal Notices, Licensing, Rulemaking, Fees, MedComms, Get Involved with DHS:Employment, DHS Police, Nurses, Public Boards/Councils, Contact .manual-search ul.usa-list li {max-width:100%;} The . The Department was represented in this matter by the Office of the Attorney Generals Affirmative Civil Rights and Labor Section within the Division of Laws Affirmative Civil Enforcement Practice Group, including Eve Weissman, Mary Kenah, Shireen Farahani, John-Paul Proctor, and former DAGs Peter Basso and Micauri Vargas, under the supervision of Assistant Attorney General Mayur Saxena, drafted, served, and collected records from 55 subpoenas issued by the Department of Labor. @media only screen and (min-width: 0px){.agency-nav-container.nav-is-open {overflow-y: unset!important;}} Corporate generalist licensed to practice law in Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey. Your identity and other personally identifiable information are protected from disclosure to your employer and others, with limited exceptions. 30:6D-17 stipulates: The Department shall ensure that every developmentally disabled person in a community residential facility receives adequate medical and dental care, a nutritionally adequate diet, a full daily program of structured activities, and those other services which are necessary to maximize the developmental potential of the developmentally disabled person in a manner least restrictive of personal liberty. */. 34:11-67.1. This Unit also investigates "Wage and Hour" criminal violations. Additionally, 14 minors were working without a proper Employment Certificate, and the time-in/time-out was not being documented the for minor employees, as the law requires. I hope this case serves as a reminder to all public works contractors of their obligations under the law.. Home, DHS Oct 2022 - Present6 months. Workers can call the Wage and Hour Division confidentially with questions regardless of their immigration status and the department can speak with callers in more than 200 languages. Governor Sheila Oliver, Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Back Wages Returned to Summer Lifeguards in three Shore Towns After NJDOL Investigation Finds $400,000 Owed in Unpaid Overtime. "To prevent violations from occurring in the first place, we encourage employers to contact the Wage and Hour . Access reports, information and data tools related to New Jerseys economy and key industry sectors. Normally, these hearings are held in Trenton; however, if this presents a hardship, the employer can request an alternate location. .dol-alert-status-error .alert-status-container {display:inline;font-size:1.4em;color:#e31c3d;} The employer has the right to either pay these wages directly to the employee or submit payment to the Division, and, in turn, the Division will disburse the wages. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Wage Complaint: if you are an employee working in New Jersey or you are working for a New Jersey-based company and you have a complaint about underpaid or unpaid wages, complete either the MW-31A (English) or MW-31S (Spanish) form. TRENTON - A team of more than 60 investigators from the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development (NJDOL) and the Department of the Treasury, supported by other state agencies, conducted an unannounced investigation of a construction site at 88 Regent Street in Jersey City in response to allegations of worker misclassification. Statement, DHS Audit and Other Reports. The new law requires employers to equip housekeeping and other staff with panic devices when they work in a guest room without any other employees present. If an employer also owes a fee, the fee will be a percentage of the wages that are due. Grand Street was notified of those alleged violations by BWK Construction and their failure to respond to allegations which totaled some $350,171.49 in back wages, fees and penalties. Washington, DC 202101-866-4-USA-DOL1-866-487-2365www.dol.gov, Employee Benefits Security Administration, Industry-Recognized Apprenticeship Programs (IRAP), Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB), Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA), Employees' Compensation Appeals Board (ECAB), Employment and Training Administration (ETA), Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Office of Administrative Law Judges (OALJ), Office of Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs (OCIA), Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP), Office of Labor-Management Standards (OLMS), Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management (OASAM), Office of the Assistant Secretary for Policy (OASP), Office of the Chief Financial Officer (OCFO), Office of Workers' Compensation Programs (OWCP), Ombudsman for the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program (EEOMBD), Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC), Veterans' Employment and Training Service (VETS), Economic Data from the Department of Labor. Among other things, the statute broadens 11 Feb. stipulates: The commissioner shall adopt rules and regulations necessary to provide for an investigation of a reported incident and subsequent substantiation or non-substantiation of an allegation of abuse, neglect or exploitation of an individual with a developmental disability by a caregiver, by maintaining an Office of Investigations to investigate serious unusual incidents as defined by applicable rules and regulations, in facilities or community programs licensed, contracted or regulated by the Department., N.J.S.A. While . This important information is subsequently communicated to appropriate internal or external stakeholders and documented to further promote the health, safety and well-being of individuals served. Preponderance of the evidence means that based on evidence and information gathered through the investigation, an allegation or incident is more likely true than not. Wage Collection proceedings are usually held in person in Trenton; however, alternate locations are available if travel to Trenton would prove to be a hardship. for a property owned or leased by the State of New Jersey, complete the MW-31B form.Selected Labor Laws Complaint: if you are an employee working in New Jersey or you are working for a New Jersey-based company and you have a complaint about an employment issue enforced by the Division of Wage and Hour Compliance, complete the MW-31C form. OI investigation findings are routinely forwarded to key DHS and DHS division entities for appropriate action and needed follow-up. 50 West State St. 14th Floor P.O. The user is on notice that neither the State of NJ site nor its operators review any of the services, information and/or content from anything that may be linked to the State of NJ site for any reason. Governor Sheila Oliver, Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Multi-Agency Investigation Results in Assessing 20 Contractors More than $1.3M in Back Wages and Penalties. .h1 {font-family:'Merriweather';font-weight:700;} September 15, 2021. TRENTON A New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development (NJDOL) investigation found that Bensalem-based subcontractor Men of Steel was in violation of New Jersey prevailing wage and worker misclassification laws while fabricating custom parts for a public works project. As the general contractor of the project, Railroad Posillico JV LLC, an unregistered public works contractor, is also being investigated for hiring Men of Steel as an unregistered subcontractor. MOORESTOWN, NJ The fiduciaries of an international design firm in Moorestown must pay more than $2 million to restore mismanaged assets to the companys retirement plan and in penalties after the U.S. Department of Labor agreed to a settlement following an investigation and litigation. Our journalism needs your support. .manual-search ul.usa-list li {max-width:100%;} The user is on notice that neither the State of NJ site nor its operators review any of the services, information and/or content from anything that may be linked to the State of NJ site for any reason. Let us know anonymously if you suspect someone is unlawfully claiming benefits. The substantial assessment of penalties and back wages is the result of the Murphy Administrations continued commitment to protecting workers rights and cracking down on employee misclassification, said State Treasurer Elizabeth Maher Muoio. The Hispanic unemployment rate is at or below its pre-recession level in 11 states: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, and Texas. This button displays the currently selected search type. The amount of the percentage varies depending upon the employers violations history. The fiduciaries of an international design firm in Moorestown must pay more than $2 million to restore mismanaged assets to the companys retirement plan and in penalties after the U.S. Department of Labor agreed to a settlement following an investigation and litigation. Effective January 1, 2023, the New Jersey minimum wage is $14.13 per hour for most workers. The Division of Public Safety and Occupational Safety and Health enforces laws and regulations that provide for safe working conditions throughout New Jersey's public and private sector. Placement of the perpetrators name on the Central Registry ensures an added level of protection to individuals served as he/she is prohibited from working with individuals with an intellectual/developmental disability for a minimum of five years. Depending on the nature of the claim, the claim will either be assigned to a field investigator, handled by mail, or referred for a Wage Collection proceeding. Google Translate is an online service for which the user pays nothing to obtain a purported language translation. The State of NJ site may contain optional links, information, services and/or content from other websites operated by third parties that are provided as a convenience, such as Google Translate. Plan fiduciaries must ensure they comply with ERISAs provisions to protect workers retirement income. Trial Attorney Amanda Wilmsen of the departments Office of the Solicitor in New York negotiated the settlement for the department. The U.S. Department of Labor is dedicated to ensuring employers pay essential workers all the wages they earned, said Wage and Hour Division District Director Jorge Alvarez in New York. This case demonstrates the U.S. Department of Labors ongoing commitment to recovering losses caused by plan fiduciaries failure to comply with the law, said Regional Solicitor of Labor Jeffrey S. Rogoff in New York. The Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services (DVRS) works to match the strengths and capabilities of individuals with disabilities to meaningful employment, training, and support opportunities. NJ *Effective May 27, 2014, the DHS Special Response Unit and the Office of Investigations merged to become the DHS Office of Investigations. Note: claims that are handled by mail usually only involve one person (for example, a former employee who did not receive their last paycheck). Men of Steel was hired by general contractor Railroad Posillico JV LLC of Paterson to build reinforcing steel cages for a Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission project in Newark. Call us at (973) 890-0004 or fill out the contact form on this page to schedule a . The user is on notice that neither the State of NJ site nor its operators review any of the services, information and/or content from anything that may be linked to the State of NJ site for any reason. Notice, Accessibility BEACH HAVEN, NJ - After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division (WHD), Cramark Inc. - doing business as The Chicken or The Egg restaurant in Beach Haven, New Jersey - will pay $768,548 in back wages, liquidated damages, and penalties for violating the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and the labor provisions of the H-2B temporary visa program. #block-googletagmanagerfooter .field { padding-bottom:0 !important; } I am excited to announce I have joined the Alliance of Women in Workers' Compensation as an Ambassador. If a Wage Collection decision is appealed by either the complainant or the employer, the case is sent to The Superior Court of New Jersey where the appeal will be heard. In Atlantic City, Investigators from the Departments Division of Wage and Hour Compliance found the citys lifeguards were only paid overtime after they reached 48 hours of work per week, not the 40-hour per week mark required under the law. The NJFLI is a wage-replacement statute that provides benefits to . Finally, another sub-contractor on the Regent Street project, BWK Construction, LLC was also found to have failed to pay employees overtime, failed to provide them with Earned Sick Leave as required, and to have misclassified employees by paying them in cash off the books. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA / o /) is a large regulatory agency of the United States Department of Labor that originally had federal visitorial powers to inspect and examine workplaces. We are grateful for the collaboration with our sister agencies on this joint investigation. As needed, OI routinely collaborates with law enforcement when there is suspicion or evidence of criminal activity or in serious cases involving abuse, neglect and/or exploitation. This ongoing partnership frequently results in criminal convictions of identified perpetrators and further helps to ensure the health, safety and well-being of individuals receiving services.Serious cases involving caregivers substantiated for acts of abuse, neglect and/or exploitation are subsequently referred by OI for DHS consideration to place the perpetrators name on the DHS Central Registry of Offenders against Individuals with a Developmental Disability. Pursuant to N.J.S.A. 44.Notwithstanding any law, rule or regulation to the contrary, a board of education, or an agency or New Jersey's Paid Family Leave Insurance law was enacted on May 2, 2008 and revised in 2019. Box 045 Trenton, NJ 08625-0045 Tel (609) 292-6767 Fax (609) 633-7366 Unemployment insurance gives financial support to people who lose their jobs through no fault of their own. Learn about our identity verification process. The investigation led to the departments recovery of $263,289 in back wages for 46 employees. 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