THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE BILL

INTRODUCED BY LENTZ, BELFANTI, M. SMITH, EACHUS, BARBIN, BARRAR, BRENNAN, BRIGGS, BUXTON, CALTAGIRONE, CARROLL, CIVERA, CONKLIN, D. COSTA, P. COSTA, CRUZ, DALEY, DeLUCA, DePASQUALE, DeWEESE, DiGIROLAMO, DRUCKER, J. EVANS, FRANKEL, FREEMAN, GALLOWAY, GEORGE, GERBER, GERGELY, GIBBONS, GODSHALL, GOODMAN, GRUCELA, HALUSKA, HARKINS, HORNAMAN, JOSEPHS, W. KELLER, KIRKLAND, KORTZ, MANDERINO, MANN, MARSHALL, McCALL, McGEEHAN, McILVAINE SMITH, MELIO, MICOZZIE, MUNDY, MURPHY, MURT, MUSTIO, MYERS, M. O'BRIEN, PASHINSKI, PAYTON, PERZEL, PETRARCA, PETRI, PRESTON, SABATINA, SANTARSIERO, SEIP, SIPTROTH, SOLOBAY, STURLA, J. TAYLOR, VEREB, WAGNER, WALKO, WANSACZ, WHITE, YOUNGBLOOD, BURNS AND BOYLE, MARCH 19, 2009

AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON LABOR RELATIONS, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AS AMENDED, APRIL 27, 2009   

AN ACT

Providing for the criteria for independent contractors in the

construction industry; and imposing penalties.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1.  Short title.

This act shall be known and may be cited as the Construction

Industry Independent Contractor Workplace Fraud Act.

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Section 2.  Legislative intent.

The General Assembly finds that increasingly employers in the

construction industry are improperly classifying employees as

independent contractors or paying unreported compensation in

order to evade their responsibilities as employers with respect

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to compliance with Federal and State laws. These actions also

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deprive these workers of Social Security benefits and other

benefits, including overtime pay, while reducing the employers'

Federal and State tax withholdings and related obligations.

These practices put employers that bear higher business costs

for complying with applicable law at a competitive disadvantage

with those who do not follow the law. In order to restrict and

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eliminate these actions the General Assembly sees the need to

enact legislation to specifically address these issues. In order

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to restrict these actions, the General Assembly hereby finds the

need to enact clear statutory guidelines for the construction

industry to define the difference between an independent

contractor and an employee for purposes of applicable laws. The

General Assembly further finds a need to enact stiff criminal

and civil penalties for employers who knowingly and

intentionally misclassify employees as independent contractors

in order to ensure that the practice is not financially

advantageous to those employers as they compete against

employers that are in compliance with the law.

Section 3.  Definitions.

The following words and phrases when used in this act shall

have the meanings given to them in this section unless the

context clearly indicates otherwise:

"Construction."  Construction Erection, reconstruction,

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demolition, alteration, modification, erection, custom

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fabrication, building, assembling, site preparation and repair

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work or maintenance work done on any real property or premises

under contract, whether or not the work is for a public body and

paid for from public funds.

"Department."  The Department of Labor and Industry of the

Commonwealth.

"Employer."  The term includes any individual, partnership,

association, joint stock company, corporation, business trust or

any other person or groups of persons acting directly or

indirectly in the interest of an employer in relation to an

employee and who is engaging in or performing services in the

commercial or residential building construction industry for

remuneration.

"Minimum Wage Act."  The act of January 17, 1968 (P.L.11,

No.5), known as The Minimum Wage Act of 1968.

"Remuneration."  All compensation including, but not limited

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to, wages and employee benefits paid to an employee.

"Secretary."  The Secretary of Labor and Industry of the

Commonwealth or the secretary's authorized representative.

"Unemployment Compensation Law."  The act of December 5, 1936

(2nd Sp.Sess., 1937 P.L.2897, No.1), known as the Unemployment

Compensation Law.

"Wage Payment and Collection Law."  The act of July 14, 1961

(P.L.637, No.329), known as the Wage Payment and Collection Law.

"Workers' Compensation Act."  The act of June 2, 1915

(P.L.736, No.338), known as the Workers' Compensation Act.

Section 4.  Certain services deemed employment and exceptions.

(a)  General rule.--For purposes of the Minimum Wage Act, the

Wage Payment and Collection Law, the Unemployment Compensation

Law and the Workers' Compensation Act, an individual engaging in

or performing services in the commercial or residential building

construction industry for remuneration is presumed to be an

employee unless:

(1)  the individual has been and will continue to be free

from control or direction over performance of such services

both under the contract of service and in fact; and

(2)  as to such services, the individual is customarily

engaged in an independently established trade, occupation,

profession or business.

(b)  Independent contractor criteria.--An individual engaging

in or performing services in the commercial or residential

building construction industry for remuneration shall be deemed

an independent contractor if the individual can demonstrate, by

credible evidence, that the individual meets all of the

following criteria:

(1)  Maintains a separate business location that is

separate from the location of the person or entity for whom

services are being performed, with the individual's own

office, and operates with owned or leased equipment and other

facilities. For purposes of this paragraph, an office may be

maintained in the individual's residence if the individual is

licensed to perform the specific kind and quality of work

required by the contracts specified in this subsection by all

State and local licensing authorities.

(2)  Operates under contracts which are in writing and

which contracts articulate plainly the precise terms of

payment for work performed, the scope of work to be performed

and a specific prohibition on the retention by the

independent contractor of any other independent contractor to

perform any part of the work described in the contract unless

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an independent contractor must subcontract a portion of the

work because the work in question falls outside the scope of

the independent contractor's normal course of business and

requires special tools or expertise, and is not for the

purpose of supplementing the independent contractor's work

force.

(3)  Includes income and losses from services rendered on

a Federal income tax schedule as an independent business or

profession.

(4)  Incurs the main expenses related to the work.

(5)  Is responsible for the satisfactory completion of

the work and is liable for a failure to complete the work.

(6)  Realizes a profit or loss under contracts to perform

work.

(7)  The success or failure of the individual's business

depends on the relationship of business receipts to

expenditures.

(8)  Has through ownership, or a written and executed

leasing arrangement with a person other than the employer,

the tools, equipment and other assets necessary to perform

the services.

(9)  Makes services available to other businesses,

governmental agencies in this Commonwealth or to the general

public through business advertising, solicitation or other

marketing efforts reasonably calculated to obtain new

contracts to provide similar services.

(10)  Has continuing or recurring business liabilities or

obligations.

(11)  Performs the services through a business in which

the individual has a principal proprietary interest.

(12)  Is a United States citizen or is authorized under

Federal law to work in the United States, as defined under

section 274A of the Immigration and Nationality Act (66 Stat.

163, 8 U.S.C. § 1324a).

(c)  Factor not to be considered.--The failure to withhold

Federal or State income taxes or pay unemployment compensation

taxes with respect to an individual's remuneration shall not be

considered in determining whether the individual is an

independent contractor for purposes of the Unemployment

Compensation Law or the Workers' Compensation Act.

(d)  Construction.--For purposes of this section, each

employment relationship shall be considered separately.

Section 5.  Improper classification of employees.

(a)  Offense defined.--An employer, or officer or agent of an

employer, commits a violation of this act if the employer,

officer or agent fails to properly classify the individual as an

employee with the intent of evading the requirements of the

Minimum Wage Act, the Wage Payment and Collection Law, the

Unemployment Compensation Law or the Workers' Compensation Act

and shall be subject to the penalties, remedies or actions

contained in this act.

(b)  Enforcement.--When the secretary finds that an employer

has violated a provision of this act, the secretary may refer

the matter to the Office of Attorney General for investigation

and prosecution. Nothing in this act shall be deemed to limit

the authority of the Attorney General to investigate and

prosecute violations of this act.

(c)  Concurrent jurisdiction to prosecute.--The Attorney

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General shall have concurrent prosecutorial jurisdiction with

the district attorney of the appropriate county for violations

under this section and any crime arising out of the activity

prohibited by this section. No person charged with a violation

of this section by the Attorney General shall have standing to

challenge the authority of the Attorney General to prosecute the

case, and, if a challenge is made, the challenge shall be

dismissed, and no relief shall be available in the courts of

this Commonwealth to the person making the challenge.

(d)  Conspiracy by other parties.--A party that does not meet

the definition of "employer" in section 3, but which contracts

with an employer knowing the employer intends to misclassify

employees in violation of this act shall be subject to the same

penalties, remedies or other actions as the employer found to be

in violation of this act.

Section 6.  Criminal penalties.

(a)  Knowing violation.--

(1)  An employer, or officer or agent of the employer,

that knowingly violates section 5(a) commits a felony of the

third degree and shall, upon conviction:

(i)  be sentenced to pay a fine of not more than

$15,000 or imprisonment for not more than three and one-

half years, or both, for a first offense; and

(ii)  be sentenced to pay a fine of not more than

$30,000 or imprisonment for not more than seven years, or

both, for a subsequent offense.

(2)  An employer, or officer or agent of the employer,

that, after being sentenced under paragraph (1)(i), knowingly

violates section 5(a) may be subject to a stop-work order, as

determined by the secretary pursuant to section 8.

(b)  Summary offense.--An employer, or officer or agent of

the employer, that negligently fails to properly classify an

individual as an employee under section 5(a) commits a summary

offense and shall, upon conviction, be sentenced to pay a fine

of not more than $1,000. Evidence of a prior conviction under

this subsection shall be admissible as evidence of knowledge

under subsection (a).

Section 7.  Civil actions and remedies.

(a)  Debarment and order to show cause.--If the secretary

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receives information indicating that an employer, or officer or

agent of the employer, has knowingly and intentionally violated

this act, or has been convicted of a violation of this act, the

secretary shall issue an order to show cause why the individual

should not be found in violation of this act and subject to

debarment. An individual served with an order to show cause

shall have a period of 20 days from the date the order is served

to file an answer in writing. If the individual fails to file a

timely and adequate answer to the order to show cause, the

secretary shall issue an immediate debarment or immediately

assess penalties as provided in this section, or both. The

secretary shall notify all public bodies in this Commonwealth of

the name of the employer, and no contract shall be awarded to

the employer or to any firm, corporation or partnership in which

the employer has an interest until a period of up to three

years, as determined by the secretary, has elapsed from the date

of the notice.

(a)  Debarment.--If the secretary receives information

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indicating that any employer, or officer or agent of the

employer, has intentionally failed to properly classify an

employee and has been convicted of the violation, the secretary

shall notify all public bodies of the name of the employer, and

no contract shall be awarded to the employer or to any firm,

corporation or partnership in which the employer has an interest

for a period of up to three years, as determined by the

secretary, has elapsed from the date of notice to the public

bodies. Actions taken under this subsection shall be subject to

the provisions of section 9(a).

(b)  Administrative penalties.--As an alternative to or in

addition to any other sanctions provided by law for a violation

of this act, when the secretary finds that an employer has

violated this act, the secretary is authorized to assess and

collect administrative penalties up to a maximum of $2,500 for

the first violation and up to a maximum of $5,000 for each

subsequent violation. When determining the amount of the penalty

imposed because of a violation, the secretary shall consider

factors which include the history of previous violations by the

employer, the seriousness of the violation, the good faith of

the employer and the size of the employer's business. Each

employee misclassified by the employer shall constitute a

separate offense.

(c)  Actions by employees.--An individual who has not been

properly classified as an employee may bring a civil action for

damages against the employer for knowingly and intentionally

failing to properly classify the employee. An individual's

representative, including a labor organization, may bring the

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action on behalf of the individual or as a class action. The

court may award attorney fees and other costs of the action in

addition to damages to an individual or class of individuals who

have not been properly classified as employees in violation of

section 5(a).

Section 8.  Stop-work orders.

(a)  Issuance of order.--If the secretary determines, after

notice and hearing, that an employer, or officer or agent of the

employer, has knowingly and intentionally failed to properly

classify an individual as an employee under section 5, the

secretary may issue a stop-work order requiring the cessation of

all business operations of that employer at each site at which a

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violation occurred within 72 hours of the determination. The

order shall take effect when served upon the employer or, for a

particular employer worksite, when served at the worksite. The

order shall remain in effect until the secretary issues an order

releasing the stop-work order or upon finding that the employer

has properly classified the individual as an employee. The

employer shall file with the department periodic reports for a

probationary period that shall not exceed two years that

demonstrate the employer's continued compliance with this

section. The department shall promulgate rules and regulations

to determine filing times and report requirements. Actions taken

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under this subsection shall be subject to the provisions of

section 9(a).

(b)  Applicability of orders.--Stop-work orders under

subsection (a) and penalties under subsection (c) shall be in

effect against any successor corporation or business entity that

has one or more of the same principals or officers as the

employer against whom the stop-work order was issued and which

is engaged in the same or equivalent trade or activity.

(c)  Penalty.--The secretary shall assess a penalty of $1,000

per day against an employer for each day that the employer

conducts business operations that are in violation of a stop-

work order issued under this section.

Section 9.  Procedure.

(a)  Hearings.--Actions taken under sections 7 and 8 are

subject to the right of notice and adjudication and the right of

appeal in accordance with the provisions of 2 Pa.C.S. (relating

to administrative law and procedure).

(b)  Subpoena powers.--The department has the power to

subpoena witnesses, administer oaths, examine witnesses and take

testimony or compel the production of documents. Upon

application of an attorney for the Commonwealth, the department

may issue a subpoena to compel the production of the documents,

computer records and information relating to compliance with the

act.

Section 10.  Commonwealth Court.

The secretary may seek enforcement of any order or subpoena

in the Commonwealth Court.

Section 11.  Certain agreement prohibited.

(a)  Violation.--No person shall require or request that an

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individual enter into an agreement or sign a document which

results in the misclassification of the individual as an

independent contractor or otherwise does not accurately reflect

the relationship with the employer.

(b)  Penalty.--A violation of subsection (a) shall be

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punishable by a fine of not less than $1,000, nor more than

$2,500. Each violation shall be considered a separate offense

under this section. 

Section 12.  Retaliation for action prohibited.

It shall be unlawful for an employer or any other party to

discriminate in any manner or take adverse action against any

person in retaliation for exercising rights protected under this

act. Rights protected under this act include, but are not

limited to, the right to file a complaint or inform any person

about an employer's noncompliance with this act and the right to

inform any person of the person's potential rights and to assist

the person in asserting those rights. Any person who in good

faith alleges noncompliance with this act shall be afforded the

rights provided by this act, notwithstanding the person's

failure to prevail on the merits. Taking adverse action against

a person within 90 days of the person's exercise of rights

protected under this act shall raise a rebuttable presumption of

having done so in retaliation for the exercise of those rights.

Section 13.  Availability of information.

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The department shall create a poster for job sites which

outlines the requirements and penalties under this act and shall

make the poster available on its Internet website. At the

discretion of the secretary, a toll-free hotline telephone

number may be established to receive alleged violations.

Section 13 14.  Use of penalty funds.

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Any assessments and penalties collected pursuant to this act

shall be applied toward implementation, enforcement and

administration costs incurred by the department under this act.

However, the secretary may transfer an agreed-to amount of

moneys collected to the Attorney General to assist in the

enforcement of this act.

Section 14 15.  Rules and regulations.

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The department may promulgate rules and regulations necessary

to implement and administer this act.

Section 15 16.  Annual report required.

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The department shall submit an annual report to the General

Assembly by March 1 of the year following the first full year in

which this act is in effect, and each year thereafter,

detailing, to the maximum extent possible, data on the previous

calendar year's administration and enforcement of this act. The

department may include any relevant facts and statistics that it

believes necessary into the content of the report.

Section 16 17.  Applicability.

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This act shall not be construed to bring an individual within

the scope of the Minimum Wage Act, the Wage Payment and

Collection Law, the Unemployment Compensation Law or the

Workers' Compensation Act if the individual is excluded from the

scope of the appropriate statute.

Section 17 18.  Severability.

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The provisions of this act are severable. If any provision of

this act or its application to any individual or circumstance is

held invalid, the invalidity shall not affect other provisions

or applications of this act which can be given effect without

the invalid provision or application.

Section 18 19.  Construction of law.

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Nothing contained in this act shall be construed to impair or

affect in any manner the ability of the department to carry out

the powers and duties prescribed by the laws of this

Commonwealth or to adopt measures to improve the enforcement of

other laws of this Commonwealth.

Section 20.  Finding.

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The department shall commence implementation of this act to

the extent the secretary determines sufficient funds are

available or the General Assembly appropriates additional funds

for purposes of this act.

Section 19 21.  Effective date.

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This act shall take effect in 90 days.