Bottom Line Construction and Development, LLC, a subcontractor under the prime contractor Masterpiece, U.S., Inc., reached a settlement with the New York City Comptroller’s Office regarding prevailing wage violations. The settlement payments total $14,215.64, including back-wages, benefits, interest, and a civil penalty.
Two employees suspected that Bottom Line Construction paid less than the mandated prevailing wage for carpentry, construction, and masonry work performed at two Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) stations in Brooklyn and Queens. The workers raised their concerns to the Comptroller’s Office, which initiated a thorough investigation, focusing on the activities at six MTA stations covered by the prime contract.
“Every construction worker deserves full pay for their work on public projects, yet companies like Bottom Line skim rightfully earned wages from its workers. This settlement serves as a reminder that contractors doing business with the city must adhere to prevailing wage laws, and companies that neglect to pay their workers will be held accountable,” said Comptroller Brad Lander.
“When companies deny workers their rightful wages, they both violate the law and undermine labor standards and fairness. The settlement our Bureau of Labor Law reached with Bottom Line is a display of our commitment to fair pay for the New Yorkers who work tirelessly to build and improve our city,” said Claudia Henriquez, Director of Workers’ Rights at the Comptroller’s Bureau of Labor Law.
Bottom Line Construction performed work at the Broad Channel station in Queens and the 86th Street station in Brooklyn. The investigation revealed that the company underpaid the workers who filed complaints, and further scrutiny uncovered that Bottom Line paid four additional workers incorrectly.
Over the four-and-a-half-month period between August and December 2019, the workers collectively lost $8,086.20 in wages and supplemental benefits due to prevailing wage violations. After factoring in additional penalties, interest, and administrative costs incurred from the violations and subsequent investigation, Bottom Line Construction agreed to pay a total settlement of $14,215.64.
Under New York State law, the New York City Comptroller sets and enforces prevailing wage laws for public works projects, including those at MTA stations and building service work on New York City government-funded work sites. Section 220 of New York State Labor Law sets out how prevailing wages shall be determined.
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