BILL NUMBER: AB 1418 CHAPTERED 10/12/03 CHAPTER 849 FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE OCTOBER 12, 2003 APPROVED BY GOVERNOR OCTOBER 11, 2003 PASSED THE ASSEMBLY SEPTEMBER 5, 2003 PASSED THE SENATE SEPTEMBER 2, 2003 AMENDED IN SENATE AUGUST 27, 2003 AMENDED IN SENATE AUGUST 18, 2003 AMENDED IN SENATE JULY 3, 2003 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2003 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 10, 2003 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Laird FEBRUARY 21, 2003 An act to amend Section 27 of the Business and Professions Code, and to amend Sections 1741 and 1775 of the Labor Code, relating to labor. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 1418, Laird. Labor: violations. Existing law requires various boards in the Department of Consumer Affairs to provide information concerning the status of licensees on the Internet. This bill would additionally require the Contractors' State License Board to disclose information regarding a licensee's willful or deliberate violation of the Labor Code. Existing law requires the Labor Commissioner to issue a civil wage and penalty assessment to the contractor or subcontractor, or both, if the Labor Commissioner determines after investigation that there has been a violation of the laws regulating public works contracts. This bill would impose interest on all due and unpaid wages at the specified rate until those wages are paid. Existing law generally requires that not less than the general prevailing rate of per diem wages, as specified, be paid to workers employed on a public work, as defined, that costs over $1,000. Existing law requires a contractor or subcontractor to submit, to the state or political subdivision on whose behalf a public work is being performed, a penalty of not more than $50 per day, as provided and determined by the Labor Commissioner, for violations of these prevailing wage provisions. This bill would require that, in addition to the $50 maximum penalty per day, the penalty not be less than $10 per day, unless the failure to pay the prevailing rate of per diem wages was a good faith mistake and was promptly and voluntarily corrected when brought to the contractor's or subcontractors's attention. This bill would also require the penalty not be less than $20 per day for contractors and subcontractors with prior violations, and not be less than $30 per day for willful violations. This bill would provide that, when the amount due is collected from a contractor or subcontractor, any wage claim against that contractor or subcontractor must be satisfied first. This bill would require the Labor Commissioner to maintain a public list of the names of the contractors and subcontractors who have been found to have committed willful violations of certain prevailing wage laws or to whom final orders, which are no longer subject to judicial review, have been issued. This bill would also specify the procedures for placing the contractors' and subcontractors' names on the list and the type of information that must be included by the Labor Commissioner. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 27 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read: 27. (a) Every entity specified in subdivision (b), on or after July 1, 2001, shall provide on the Internet information regarding the status of every license issued by that entity in accordance with the California Public Records Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 6250) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code) and the Information Practices Act of 1977 (Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 1798) of Title 1.8 of Part 4 of Division 3 of the Civil Code). The public information to be provided on the Internet shall include information on suspensions and revocations of licenses issued by the entity and other related enforcement action taken by the entity relative to persons, businesses, or facilities subject to licensure or regulation by the entity. In providing information on the Internet, each entity shall comply with the Department of Consumer Affairs Guidelines for Access to Public Records. The information may not include personal information, including home telephone number, date of birth, or social security number. Each entity shall disclose a licensee's address of record. However, each entity shall allow a licensee to provide a post office box number or other alternate address, instead of his or her home address, as the address of record. This section shall not preclude an entity from also requiring a licensee, who has provided a post office box number or other alternative mailing address as his or her address of record, to provide a physical business address or residence address only for the entity's internal administrative use and not for disclosure as the licensee's address of record or disclosure on the Internet. (b) Each of the following entities within the Department of Consumer Affairs shall comply with the requirements of this section: (1) The Acupuncture Board shall disclose information on its licensees. (2) The Board of Behavioral Sciences shall disclose information on its licensees, including marriage and family therapists, licensed clinical social workers, and licensed educational psychologists. (3) The Dental Board of California shall disclose information on its licensees. (4) The State Board of Optometry shall disclose information regarding certificates of registration to practice optometry, statements of licensure, optometric corporation registrations, branch office licenses, and fictitious name permits of their licensees. (5) The Board for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors shall disclose information on its registrants and licensees. (6) The Structural Pest Control Board shall disclose information on its licensees, including applicators, field representatives, and operators in the areas of fumigation, general pest and wood destroying pests and organisms, and wood roof cleaning and treatment. (7) The Bureau of Automotive Repair shall disclose information on its licensees, including auto repair dealers, smog stations, lamp and brake stations, smog check technicians, and smog inspection certification stations. (8) The Bureau of Electronic and Appliance Repair shall disclose information on its licensees, including major appliance repair dealers, combination dealers (electronic and appliance), electronic repair dealers, service contract sellers, and service contract administrators. (9) The Cemetery Program shall disclose information on its licensees, including cemetery brokers, cemetery salespersons, crematories, and cremated remains disposers. (10) The Funeral Directors and Embalmers Program shall disclose information on its licensees, including embalmers, funeral establishments, and funeral directors. (11) The Contractors' State License Board shall disclose information on its licensees in accordance with Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 7000) of Division 3. In addition to information related to licenses as specified in subdivision (a), the board shall also disclose information provided to the board by the Labor Commissioner pursuant to Section 98.9 of the Labor Code. (12) The Board of Psychology shall disclose information on its licensees, including psychologists, psychological assistants, and registered psychologists. (c) "Internet" for the purposes of this section has the meaning set forth in paragraph (6) of subdivision (e) of Section 17538. SEC. 2. Section 1741 of the Labor Code is amended to read: 1741. (a) If the Labor Commissioner or his or her designee determines after an investigation that there has been a violation of this chapter, the Labor Commissioner shall with reasonable promptness issue a civil wage and penalty assessment to the contractor or subcontractor or both. The assessment shall be in writing and shall describe the nature of the violation and the amount of wages, penalties, and forfeitures due and shall include the basis for the assessment. The assessment shall be served not later than 180 days after the filing of a valid notice of completion in the office of the county recorder in each county in which the public work or some part thereof was performed, or not later than 180 days after acceptance of the public work, whichever occurs last. However, if the assessment is served after the expiration of this 180-day period, but before the expiration of an additional 180 days, and the awarding body has not yet made full payment to the contractor, the assessment is valid up to the amount of the funds retained. Service of the assessment shall be completed pursuant to Section 1013 of the Code of Civil Procedure by first-class and certified mail to the contractor, subcontractor, and awarding body. The assessment shall advise the contractor and subcontractor of the procedure for obtaining review of the assessment. The Labor Commissioner shall, to the extent practicable, ascertain the identity of any bonding company issuing a bond that secures the payment of wages covered by the assessment and any surety on a bond, and shall serve a copy of the assessment by certified mail to the bonding company or surety at the same time service is made to the contractor, subcontractor, and awarding body. However, no bonding company or surety shall be relieved of its responsibilities because it failed to receive notice from the Labor Commissioner. (b) Interest shall accrue on all due and unpaid wages at the rate described in subdivision (b) of Section 3289 of the Civil Code. The interest shall accrue from the date that the wages were due and payable, as provided in Part 7 (commencing with Section 1720) of Division 2, until the wages are paid. (c) (1) The Labor Commissioner shall maintain a public list of the names of each contractor and subcontractor who has been found to have committed a willful violation of Section 1775 or to whom a final order, which is no longer subject to judicial review, has been issued. (2) The list shall include the date of each assessment, the amount of wages and penalties assessed, and the amount collected. (3) The list shall be updated at least quarterly, and the contractor's or subcontractor's name shall remain on that list until the assessment is satisfied, or for a period of three years beginning from the date of the issuance of the assessment, whichever is later. SEC. 3. Section 1775 of the Labor Code is amended to read: 1775. (a) (1) The contractor and any subcontractor under the contractor shall, as a penalty to the state or political subdivision on whose behalf the contract is made or awarded, forfeit not more than fifty dollars ($50) for each calendar day, or portion thereof, for each worker paid less than the prevailing wage rates as determined by the director for the work or craft in which the worker is employed for any public work done under the contract by the contractor or, except as provided in subdivision (b), by any subcontractor under the contractor. (2) (A) The amount of the penalty shall be determined by the Labor Commissioner based on consideration of both of the following: (i) Whether the failure of the contractor or subcontractor to pay the correct rate of per diem wages was a good faith mistake and, if so, the error was promptly and voluntarily corrected when brought to the attention of the contractor or subcontractor. (ii) Whether the contractor or subcontractor has a prior record of failing to meet its prevailing wage obligations. (B) (i) The penalty may not be less than ten dollars ($10) for each calendar day, or portion thereof, for each worker paid less than the prevailing wage rate, unless the failure of the contractor or subcontractor to pay the correct rate of per diem wages was a good faith mistake and, if so, the error was promptly and voluntarily corrected when brought to the attention of the contractor or subcontractor. (ii) The penalty may not be less than twenty dollars ($20) for each calendar day, or portion thereof, for each worker paid less than the prevailing wage rate, if the contractor or subcontractor has been assessed penalties within the previous three years for failing to meet its prevailing wage obligations on a separate contract, unless those penalties were subsequently withdrawn or overturned. (iii) The penalty may not be less than thirty dollars ($30) for each calendar day, or portion thereof, for each worker paid less than the prevailing wage rate, if the Labor Commissioner determines that the violation was willful, as defined in subdivision (c) of Section 1777.1. (C) When the amount due under this section is collected from the contractor or subcontractor, any outstanding wage claim under Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 1720) of Part 7 of Division 2 against that contractor or subcontractor shall be satisfied before applying that amount to the penalty imposed on that contractor or subcontractor pursuant to this section. (D) The determination of the Labor Commissioner as to the amount of the penalty shall be reviewable only for abuse of discretion. (E) The difference between the prevailing wage rates and the amount paid to each worker for each calendar day or portion thereof for which each worker was paid less than the prevailing wage rate shall be paid to each worker by the contractor or subcontractor, and the body awarding the contract shall cause to be inserted in the contract a stipulation that this section will be complied with. (b) If a worker employed by a subcontractor on a public works project is not paid the general prevailing rate of per diem wages by the subcontractor, the prime contractor of the project is not liable for any penalties under subdivision (a) unless the prime contractor had knowledge of that failure of the subcontractor to pay the specified prevailing rate of wages to those workers or unless the prime contractor fails to comply with all of the following requirements: (1) The contract executed between the contractor and the subcontractor for the performance of work on the public works project shall include a copy of the provisions of Sections 1771, 1775, 1776, 1777.5, 1813, and 1815. (2) The contractor shall monitor the payment of the specified general prevailing rate of per diem wages by the subcontractor to the employees, by periodic review of the certified payroll records of the subcontractor. (3) Upon becoming aware of the failure of the subcontractor to pay his or her workers the specified prevailing rate of wages, the contractor shall diligently take corrective action to halt or rectify the failure, including, but not limited to, retaining sufficient funds due the subcontractor for work performed on the public works project. (4) Prior to making final payment to the subcontractor for work performed on the public works project, the contractor shall obtain an affidavit signed under penalty of perjury from the subcontractor that the subcontractor has paid the specified general prevailing rate of per diem wages to his or her employees on the public works project and any amounts due pursuant to Section 1813. (c) The Division of Labor Standards Enforcement shall notify the contractor on a public works project within 15 days of the receipt by the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement of a complaint of the failure of a subcontractor on that public works project to pay workers the general prevailing rate of per diem wages.