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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:16.0pt"><img width="185" height="60" id="_x0000_i1025" src="cid:image001.gif@01D13C9A.B05E1140"></span><o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">For Immediate Release<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>December 22, 2015<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">CONTACT: Charlie Burr, BOLI, (971) 673-0788 <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="color:black">BOLI finds evidence of unlawful retaliation in Cornerstone Janitorial whistleblower investigation<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><i><span style="color:black">Agency previously directed nearly $200,000 in unpaid wages to workers of the company
<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">PORTLAND, OR—Cornerstone Janitorial unlawfully retaliated against a worker who filed a worker’s compensation claim and cooperated with a prevailing wage investigation, a Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) investigation
has found.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">The civil rights case will now move toward conciliation to see if the parties can reach a settlement. If a settlement cannot be reached, the agency may bring formal charges based on the civil rights investigation’s
findings.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">The agency’s Wage and Hour Division previously directed nearly $200,000 to 46 Cornerstone employees working on five taxpayer-funded projects in Portland, Eugene, Stayton, Junction City and Salem. The complainant
in the civil rights case was part of the group of workers claiming to be underpaid for work performed.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">In August 2014, a long-term employee of Cornerstone Janitorial,
</span>Jose Tandy Vargas, sustained an on-the-job injury while working on a project at Portland Community College. Shortly after, Vargas filed a worker’s compensation claim, including completing a form that included information on his hourly wages.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Around the time of the injury, the prime contractor, Hoffman Construction, discovered that Cornerstone might not be paying employees – including Vargas – the contractually obligated prevailing wage rate. Hoffman then initiated an internal
investigation and filed a formal prevailing wage rate complaint with BOLI. <o:p>
</o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In late October, Cornerstone terminated Vargas, despite his reputation as “an exemplary employee.”
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">Under Oregon law, whistleblowing is a protected activity.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">Employees</span> with prevailing wage issues may contact the Prevailing Wage Rate Unit by calling (971) 673-0839 or emailing
<a href="mailto:pwremail@boli.state.or.us">pwremail@boli.state.or.us</a>. Workers facing retaliation can contact the agency’s Civil Rights Division at (971) 673-0764 or
<a href="mailto:crdemail@boli.state.or.us">crdemail@boli.state.or.us</a>.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black">Copies of the original complaint are available upon request.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="color:black">###<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Charlie Burr<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Communications Director<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">800 NE Oregon Street, Suite 1045<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Portland, Oregon 97232<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Tel: 971-673-0788<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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