NEWS RELEASE: More than 100 workers to receive $924,000 from SOU wage settlement

[Burr, Charlie]

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For Immediate Release
April 5, 2016
CONTACT:           Charlie Burr, BOLI, (971) 673-0788

More than 100 workers to receive $924,000 from SOU wage settlement
BOLI receives final payment from SOU for record $2.5 million settlement agreement

PORTLAND, OR-The Bureau of Labor and Industries has directed an additional $924,000 to 116 employees who worked on a public works project for Southern Oregon University (SOU) comprised of a dining hall and two student residences, the agency announced today.

A late December wage settlement agreement of $2.5 million represented the largest in the agency's history. Under terms of the agreement, the university made an initial $1,508,542.88 payment to BOLI on behalf of 179 workers in December.

Last week, BOLI received the remaining settlement payment from SOU for $1,008,918.91.BOLI has since mailed payments to all workers who've signed individual releases of claims and for whom SOU has social security numbers. An additional twenty nine workers will be sent $84,360.02 after the agency receives signed releases.

"I'm very happy to see these additional workers receive full wages to which they're entitled," said Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian. "Any public agency or contractor that has questions about Oregon's prevailing wage law can contact us about whether a project requires payment of prevailing wage rates."

A copy of the wage settlement agreement can be found here<http://www.oregon.gov/boli/SiteAssets/pages/press/SOU%20Settlement%20Agreement.pdf>.

The agreement releases SOU and other parties from future wage claims stemming from the project while admitting no wrongdoing or liability on the disputed wages.

Starting in late 2013, BOLI's Wage and Hour Division initiated a series of prevailing wage audits after questions arose about the SOU project during a separate investigation.

The prevailing wage inquiry - comprised of 80 audits - found that 44 contractors and subcontractors could owe $2,569,387 to workers on the project.  Prior to the settlement, the agency secured about $52,000 in wage payments.

Construction of the residence halls and dining hall began in 2012, with all three buildings completed in the first week of September 2013. The buildings replace the Cascade Complex, a single structure with residence halls and a common dining area. The same architect and general contractor performed work on the project, with most first-tier subcontractors working on all three buildings.

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Charlie Burr
Communications Director
Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries
800 NE Oregon Street, Suite 1045
Portland, Oregon  97232
Tel:  971-673-0788
Cell: 503-913-5407

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