NEWS RELEASE: BOLI will seek debarment against WWJD Traffic Control, Inc. after $158,000 in wage violations

[Burr, Charlie]

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For Immediate Release
April 29, 2015
CONTACT:           Charlie Burr, BOLI, (971) 673-0788

BOLI will seek debarment against WWJD Traffic Control, Inc. after $158,000 in wage violations
Contracting firm and owners face debarment after investigation finds unlawful wage practices

PORTLAND, OR-The Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) will seek to make a Salem traffic control firm and its owners ineligible to work on public projects after the business failed to pay prevailing wages on five public projects, the agency announced today.

BOLI prevailing wage investigators determined that WWJD Traffic Control, Inc. owed employees $158,218.91 in unpaid wages and overtime for flagging and traffic control performed on several highway construction projects.

All affected workers have since been paid, although the prime contractor, not WWJD Traffic Control, Inc., paid the wages on three of the five projects.

Currently, 60 other firms and individuals are ineligible to work on public projects because of wage violations. The full list of debarred companies can be found here<http://www.oregon.gov/boli/whd/pwr/docs/debar_list.pdf>. Companies may be made ineligible for up to three years unless they agree to a longer period during settlement negotiations.

In addition to debarment, the agency will seek civil penalties of $83,491.52 for wage, recordkeeping and posting violations.

Public projects in which BOLI determined wage violations occurred include:


*         Ritter Rd. - Deer Run Road Bly Mountain Section project (OR 140): Respondent failed to pay $69,112.42 in prevailing wages, including fringe benefits, to 15 workers. Paid by contractor, not WWJD. Seeking civil penalty of $13,182.11.

*         Grass Butte  - Rimrock Road (OR 126) project: Respondent failed to pay $44,434.49 in prevailing wages, including fringe benefits, to 11 workers. Paid by contractor, not WWJD. Seeking civil penalty of $11,000.00.

*         Kitson Springs Road to Eagle Creeek (OR 58) project: Respondent failed to pay $25,666.22 in prevailing wages, including fringe benefits, to eight workers. Paid by contractor, not WWJD. Seeking civil penalty of $7,389.92.

*         Cape Creek Bridge Rail Retrofit (US 101) project: Respondent failed to pay $15,043.38 in prevailing wages, including fringe benefits, to eight workers. Seeking civil penalty of $3,819.62.

*         McCullough Bridge Rehab (US 101) project: Respondent failed to timely pay $3,962.70 in prevailing wages, including fringe benefits, to seven workers. Seeking civil penalty of $3,099.87.

WWJD Traffic Control, Inc. also submitted false and inaccurate certified payroll reports on several projects. In addition, WWJD failed to post the Prevailing Wage Rate on all five projects as required by law.

Each year, the agency conducts more than 70 prevailing wage rate seminars for nearly 1,500 contractors and public agency personnel free of charge.

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The mission of the Bureau of Labor and Industries is to protect employment rights, advance employment opportunities, and protect access to housing and public places free from discrimination.


Charlie Burr
Communications Director
Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries
800 NE Oregon Street, Suite 1045
Portland, Oregon  97232
Tel:  971-673-0788

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