Bill > HB260

This bill strengthens protections for construction workers by establishing joint and several liability for unpaid wages, meaning both the contractor and the project owner (the person or entity hiring the contractor) can be held responsible for wages owed to employees of the contractor and any subcontractors. This applies to construction contracts for buildings, structures, or land improvements, but excludes contracts for a project owner's primary residence, small residential buildings (five units or fewer), or single commercial units, and also exempts employees covered by certain collective bargaining agreements. The bill also outlines procedures for employees to claim unpaid wages, including a requirement to provide written notice to the project owner and contractor before filing a lawsuit, and establishes that a person performing work on a project is presumed to be an employee unless proven otherwise. Furthermore, subcontractors will be required to provide detailed payroll records to project owners or contractors upon request, and failure to do so will not relieve the project owner or contractor of their liability for unpaid wages. The bill also introduces penalties for violations related to certificates of fitness, a type of certification required for certain construction activities, including a 90-day suspension of a contractor's registration for a first offense and permanent revocation for a second offense, and clarifies that the office of administrative hearings will have jurisdiction over administrative fine hearings for these violations.

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https://www.akleg.gov/basis/Bill/Detail/34?Root=HB260