CONTACT: Trevor Monk, dlipress@pa.gov
Harrisburg, PA – This weekend, Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry (L&I) Acting Secretary Nancy Walker wrote an op-ed highlighting the steps the Shapiro Administration is taking to tackle worker misclassification in Pennsylvania and protect working people.
In the op-ed, Walker underscored the urgency of this issue, emphasizing the importance of enforcing the Construction Workplace Misclassification Act, known as Act 72, and the need for increased public awareness about workers' rights and protections.
See what Pennsylvanians are reading about L&I's commitment to fight the Worker Misclassification Crisis in PA
Pennsylvania Capital-Star: Here's how we're addressing Pa.'s worker misclassification crisis
"Misclassification is a complex issue, but it boils down to this relatively simple concept: we have laws that require employers to offer benefits that protect workers who are injured on the job or lose their job through no fault of their own. These benefits come with costs.
When an employer chooses to sidestep those costs by misclassifying its workers as independent contractors, they save money, but workers – and the law-abiding businesses competing for lowest-bidder projects – suffer the consequences. […]
My department, under the leadership of Gov. Josh Shapiro, is committed to tackling the crisis of worker misclassification.
Within the first three months of his administration, Gov. Shapiro joined with New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy to form an interstate task force to address wage theft and worker misclassification in the two states.
Additionally, Gov. Shapiro's budget proposes hiring more L&I labor law investigators to further protect Pennsylvania's workers – including construction employees who are routinely exploited by contractors looking to cut corners despite the explicit protections in Act 72."
PennLive: We must correct the misclassification of workers in Pennsylvania
How to Submit a Complaint
L&I urges employers to familiarize themselves with Pennsylvania's Child Labor Act and Pennsylvania's Construction Workplace Misclassification Act to ensure they are in full compliance.
L&I's Bureau of Labor Law Compliance responds to complaints filed by members of the public who suspect violations of the Child Labor Act, Construction Workplace Misclassification Act and other Pennsylvania labor laws. Anyone can file a complaint on L&I's website using an online submission form.
For more information on misclassified workers or if you feel you, or someone you know, may be misclassified, visit L&I's page on Misclassified Workers.
For more information, you can visit www.dli.pa.gov, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
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