Massachusetts Firm Fined for Contractor Status

Boston, MA, June 14, 2011 -- An Allston-based flooring company has been ordered to pay $26,000 in fines for labor violations, according to Legal Newsline.

Floor Sanders and Finishers of Massachusetts allegedly misclassified its employees as independent contractors and violated record-keeping policies.

The company was cited for wage and hour violations in April 2008 and paid $5,500 for allegedly misclassifying employees and failing to pay the prevailing wage. The company agreed to a two-year debarment at that time for those violations.

The alleged new violations are related to flooring work performed before the debarment from November 2008 to December 2008 at the New Senior Center Construction public works program in Agawam.

"The independent contractor law is designed to ensure that all companies conduct business on a level playing field, and our office will continue to enforce that law, whether it is a first time offense or a repeat violation," Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley said.

Coakley's office alleges that Floor Sanders classified three of its workers as independent contractors and paid the workers with company checks, failed to maintain true and accurate payroll records, and failed to submit true and accurate certified payroll records to the awarding authority for the construction project.