<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40">
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=us-ascii">
<meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 14 (filtered medium)">
<!--[if !mso]><style>v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
.shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
</style><![endif]--><style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Tahoma;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:purple;
text-decoration:underline;}
p.MsoAcetate, li.MsoAcetate, div.MsoAcetate
{mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-link:"Balloon Text Char";
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:8.0pt;
font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";}
p.MsoListParagraph, li.MsoListParagraph, div.MsoListParagraph
{mso-style-priority:34;
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:.5in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-add-space:auto;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";}
p.MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst, li.MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst, div.MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst
{mso-style-priority:34;
mso-style-type:export-only;
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:.5in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-add-space:auto;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";}
p.MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle, li.MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle, div.MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle
{mso-style-priority:34;
mso-style-type:export-only;
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:.5in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-add-space:auto;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";}
p.MsoListParagraphCxSpLast, li.MsoListParagraphCxSpLast, div.MsoListParagraphCxSpLast
{mso-style-priority:34;
mso-style-type:export-only;
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:.5in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-add-space:auto;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";}
span.BalloonTextChar
{mso-style-name:"Balloon Text Char";
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-link:"Balloon Text";
font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";}
span.EmailStyle20
{mso-style-type:personal-compose;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:windowtext;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
@page WordSection2
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection2
{page:WordSection2;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]-->
</head>
<body lang="EN-US" link="blue" vlink="purple">
<div class="WordSection1">
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:16.0pt"><img width="185" height="60" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.gif@01D223D6.7DC54720" alt="cid:image001.gif@01D223D6.7DC54720"></span><o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>For Immediate Release<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">October 12, 2016<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">CONTACT: Charlie Burr, (971) 673-0788<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;color:black">BOLI finds substantial evidence in wage theft retaliation complaint
<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><i><span style="color:black">Commissioner’s complaint alleged whistleblower abuse, threats of physical violence<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">PORTLAND, OR—A Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) investigation of a construction contractor has found substantial evidence of whistleblower retaliation, the agency announced today.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto">In February, Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian filed a Commissioner’s Complaint alleging that contractor Evans Williams and Tri-Star Flagging, LLC retaliated against employees cooperating
with the agency’s Wage and Hour Division during a separate investigation. <span style="color:black">
Copies of the Tri-Star Flagging, LLC civil rights complaint are available </span>
<a href="http://www.oregon.gov/boli/SiteAssets/pages/press/AD%20Traffic%20Commissioner%27s%20Complaint.pdf">here</a><span style="color:black">.
</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“No worker should have to face termination or threats of physical violence for asserting their right to wages they’ve earned,” said Labor Commissioner Avakian. “We will protect whistleblowers and hold businesses accountable if they seek
to intimidate workers stepping forward.” <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The case will now move to the agency’s Administrative Prosecution Unit, which will draft formal charges and set a date for hearing.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Last year, the agency placed Evan Williams, his wife and multiple associated entities on the list of companies
<a href="https://www.oregon.gov/boli/WHD/PWR/docs/Debar_List.pdf">ineligible to work on public projects</a> in the state, including Tri-Star Flagging, LLC, Portland Flagging, LLC dba AD Traffic Control Services, GNC Construction Services, Phoenix Construction
Group, Inc., Portland Safety Equipment, LLC, and SBG Construction Services, LLC.<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";mso-fareast-language:EN-US"><br clear="all" style="page-break-before:always">
</span>
<div class="WordSection2">
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In 2013, BOLI secured $104,000 in fringe benefit wages for 37 Tri-Star employees who worked as flaggers on the Sellwood Bridge project in Multnomah County.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span style="color:black">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. The civil rights complaint is the eighth filed by Commissioner Avakian.
</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span style="color:black">A Commissioner’s Complaint in 2014 against Daimler Trucks North America resulted in a record $2.4 million civil rights settlement.
</span><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span style="color:black">Workers can file a civil rights complaint if they believe that they are being retaliated against by contacting the Civil Rights Division at
</span><span style="color:blue"><a href="mailto:crdemail@boli.state.or.us">crdemail@boli.state.or.us</a></span><span style="color:black"> or by calling (971) 673-0764.
</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span style="color:black">Visit
</span><span style="color:blue"><a href="http://www.oregon.gov/BOLI">www.oregon.gov/BOLI</a></span><span style="color:black"> for more information about all of BOLI’s work to protect employment rights, advance employment opportunities, and protect access to
housing and public accommodations free from discrimination. </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" 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>
</div>
</body>
</html>