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<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@01D1633E.74E76920"></span></b><b><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>February 9, 2016<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">CONTACT: Charlie Burr, BOLI, (971) 673-0788 <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="color:black">Avakian files anti-retaliation commissioner’s complaint against flagging companies and their owner
<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><i><span style="color:black">Agency previously secured more than $100,000 for Sellwood Bridge flaggers denied full wages<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—</span><span style="color:black"> Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian has filed a commissioner’s complaint against Tri-Star Flagging, LLC, A D Traffic Control, LLC, and owner Evan Williams alleging retaliation,
threats of physical violence, and other unlawful employment practices against employees who filed wage claims.<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 complaint alleges that the flagging company owner Evan Williams terminated employees as retaliation for whistleblowing and prevented other employees from filing additional claims or complaints.
<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">Previously, the agency recovered $104,000 in fringe benefit wages for 37 Tri-Star employees who worked as flaggers on the Sellwood Bridge project.
</span><span style="font-size:10.5pt;color:black"><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">“It’s critical that workers are able to file wage claims with our agency free from retaliation and harassment,” said Labor Commissioner Avakian. “No employer has the right to fire or physically threaten workers
for stepping forward during a BOLI investigation. Our agency has a duty to ensure strong enforcement of anti-retaliation protections so that workers can recover wages they’ve earned.”
<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">Late last year, the agency sought to make owner Evan Williams ineligible to work on public projects for a period of three years. At that time, BOLI sought $94,000 in penalties for failing to fully pay workers on
the bridge project, as well as intentionally filing inaccurate payroll records. That decision is pending.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Oregon law empowers the labor commissioner to file a complaint on behalf of the people of Oregon when the commissioner has reason to believe an unlawful practice – such as retaliation against whistleblowing – has occurred.
<span style="color:black">The civil rights complaint is the eighth filed by Commissioner Avakian.
</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:15.0pt;background:white"><span style="color:black">A previous commissioner’s complaint against Daimler Trucks North America resulted in a record $2.4 million civil rights settlement earlier this year, the largest in
the agency’s history. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:15.0pt;background:white">Workers can file a civil rights complaint if they believe that they are being retaliated against by contacting the Civil Rights Division at
<a href="mailto:crdemail@boli.state.or.us">crdemail@boli.state.or.us</a> or by calling (971) 673-0764.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Copies of the commissioner’s complaint are public documents available on the agency’s website
<b><span style="color:#1F497D"><a href="http://www.oregon.gov/boli/SiteAssets/pages/press/AD%20Traffic%20Commissioner%27s%20Complaint.pdf">here</a></span></b>.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Visit <a href="http://www.oregon.gov/BOLI">www.oregon.gov/BOLI</a> for more information about all of BOLI’s work to
<span style="color:black">protect employment rights, advance employment opportunities, and protect access to housing and public accommodations free from discrimination</span>.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center">###<o:p></o:p></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>
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