Latest CALPASC Stories

SACRAMENTO, Calif., May 9, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The Department of Industrial Relations' (DIR) recent announcement reminded prime contractors on public works projects about the consequences of hiring subcontractors who intentionally skirt the law by failing to pay prevailing wages. According to Christine Baker, Director of the Department of Industrial Relations (DIR), Labor Commissioner Julie Su "has reinvigorated public works enforcement in the state," resulting in three public...

SACRAMENTO, Calif., April 23, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The California Department of Industrial Relations released a press release on April 22 detailing the order requiring Icon Metal Works Inc., a Fontana-based company that willfully violated public works laws, to pay $129,562 in wages, $47,575 in prevailing wage fines and $28,700 in apprenticeship fines for work performed at California State University, Los Angeles. California Labor Commissioner Julie Su emphasized that the public...

SACRAMENTO, Calif., Oct. 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The California Professional Association of Specialty Contractors (CALPASC), along with multiple construction associations, welcomed Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones' announcement late last week that two more unscrupulous contractors, a father and daughter out of Kern County, have been convicted of felony counts for violating California's Insurance Code and Unemployment Insurance Code. Both Jerry Buffington, owner and President of...

SACRAMENTO, Calif., Aug. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- For months, the California Professional Association of Specialty Contractors (CALPASC) has been pushing for coordination of state agencies to clean up the underground economy. As reported earlier, the creation of the Criminal Investigation Unit (CIU), under the Department of Industrial Relations' Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (DLSE), focused on "raising the stakes for those who underpay, underbid and under-report in violation...

SACRAMENTO, Calif., June 27, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- California contractors were sickened by the news in the recent California Department of Insurance (CDI) announcement on the arrest of the unscrupulous owners of A & F Engineering who allegedly committed insurance fraud and denied insurance benefits to an employee's family. As announced by Commissioner Dave Jones, A & F Engineering's employee, Jose Villanueva, was killed in a work-related accident. As a consequence of owners...

SACRAMENTO, Calif., May 24, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- California's subcontractors knew industry fraud was growing and it would take a focused, coordinated effort among multiple parties to stop the bleeding, which is why they established the LEVEL Program. The May 22 announcement of charges against the owner of Southland Construction substantiates the purpose of the Program when agencies, such as the Contractors State License Board (CSLB), Department of Industrial Relations, Employment...

SACRAMENTO, Calif., Feb. 27, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- California's economic climate alone makes it tough for law-abiding subcontractors to succeed, but it is worsened by the destructive and costly impact of the underground economy. California's Contractors State License Board (CSLB) estimates more than 210,000 contractors participate in the underground economy, which is why the California Professional Association of Specialty Contractors (CALPASC) continues to closely watch the actions...

SACRAMENTO, Calif., Jan. 30, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Construction industry subcontractors welcomed Friday's announcement from California Commissioner Dave Jones' (http://insurance.ca.gov/0400-news/0100-press-releases/2012/release007-12.cfm) on the charges against a Millbrae business owner for 57 felonies, including payroll theft and workers' compensation insurance fraud. As part of the LEVEL Program, the California Professional Association of Specialty Contractors (CALPASC), in...

SACRAMENTO, Calif., Dec. 9, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The California Professional Association of Specialty Contractors (CALPASC) welcomes the enactment of Senate Bill 459 (SB 459) authored by Senator Corbett (D-San Leandro) as reinforcement to the CALPASC LEVEL Program, which was developed to create a more level playing field for compliant contractors within the construction industry. SB 459 cracks down on the misclassification of employees as independent contractors by increasing...

SACRAMENTO, Calif., Oct. 24, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The California Professional Association of Specialty Contractors (CALPASC) obtained a copy of the October 3, 2011 memorandum sent by national builder, KB Home to its vendors regarding the recently initiated U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) investigations into pay practices of several national homebuilders. According to the memorandum, DOL is requiring KB Home to provide a list of all contractors and suppliers, including addresses and telephone...