NEWS RELEASE: Wage settlement includes $20K in civil penalties, ten year ban on public projects

[Burr, Charlie]

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For Immediate Release
June 30, 2017
CONTACT:           Charlie Burr, BOLI, (971) 673-0788

Wage settlement includes $20K in civil penalties, ten year ban on public projects
BOLI investigation stems from prevailing wage and recordkeeping violations

PORTLAND, OR-A BOLI wage enforcement settlement will make WCI Construction LLC and owner Eugene Graeme ineligible to receive public works contracts in the state for ten years while assessing the firm $20,000 in civil penalties, the Bureau of Labor and Industries announced today.

The debarment and civil penalties settlement stems from work performed for Arlington High School in Gilliam County. Previously, the agency recovered $9,257.87 in wages after a worker filed a complaint in December 2015. BOLI wage compliance specialists found prevailing wage violations and failure to maintain timely, accurate and complete payroll records.

Copies of the WCI Construction LLC settlement agreement and Final Order are available upon request.

"It's critical that contractors on taxpayer-funded projects follow the rules, pay fair wages and keep accurate records for their workforce," said Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian. "Today's settlement bars a repeat offender from public projects for a decade after it once again failed to meet its basic requirements."

Notably, BOLI had placed a previous company owned by Eugene Graeme, Wrangler Construction, Inc., on the state's debarment list from May 2012 to May 2015 for other Wage and Hour violations.

Currently, the agency has 52 businesses, contractors and individuals on the debarment list<http://www.oregon.gov/boli/whd/pwr/docs/debar_list.pdf>  of contractors ineligible to receive payment on public contracts.

Employees with prevailing wage issues may contact the Prevailing Wage Rate Unit by calling (971) 673-0839 or emailing pwremail at boli.state.or.us<mailto:pwremail at boli.state.or.us>.

Any public contracting agency, contractor or subcontractor can contact BOLI's Prevailing Wage Rate Unit to request a determination<http://www.oregon.gov/boli/WHD/PWR/docs/pwr_coverage_guidelines.pdf> about whether a project is a public works that requires payment of prevailing wage rates. In addition, the bureau offers prevailing wage seminars to help contractors, subcontractors and public contracting agencies understand and comply with Oregon's law.

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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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