Coalition of 'Unlikely Bed Fellows' Continues Growing to Nail Dishonest Employers

SACRAMENTO, Calif., Jan. 31, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- A coalition of employers, businesses, associations and labor representatives is growing weekly in an effort to ensure California construction laws and regulations are upheld. The coalition's goal is to provide public protection and level the playing field for law-abiding construction contractors. The California Professional Association of Specialty Contractors (CALPASC) is leading the coalition, which represents thousands of companies and employees as part of an overall effort to fight against unscrupulous violators and support construction enforcement.

In 2010, CALPASC initiated the LEVEL Program to work closely with state agencies in cracking down on cheating contractors. "The coalition complements the goal of the LEVEL Program," said Brad Diede, chief executive officer, CALPASC. "Every day, qualified construction contractors go out of business, their employees lose decent paying jobs, worksite safety erodes and the public is at greater risk of shoddy construction – leaving the cheaters to rule." According to the Department of Labor and Workforce Development, since 2006, California's construction industry has lost more than 415,000 jobs.

The coalition has adopted 11 agreed-upon tenets as a foundation to nail participants of the "underground and semi-underground economy." Underground economy participants are often unlicensed construction companies serving as safe work havens for unscrupulous people and do not provide workers' compensation coverage, pay cash to employees and fail to follow safety regulations.

Semi-underground economy contractors disguise themselves by being licensed and have workers' compensation yet use unlicensed and/or uninsured subcontractors, pay employees partially in cash, avoid safety regulations, avoid required certifications, commit workers' compensation and payroll fraud and misclassify employees or falsify records on prevailing-wage jobs.

"The urgency of this issue cannot be overstated," said Diede. "The recession has fueled more cheating than ever, and law-abiding, legitimate construction employers and employees go at risk each day these violators succeed."

The California Professional Association of Specialty Contractors is a nonprofit 501(c)6 trade association advocating on behalf of trade contractors and suppliers of building materials in California. CALPASC is committed to educating members on complex issues and advancing safety and compliance within the building industry.

SOURCE California Professional Association of Specialty Contractors