Provides employees with civil administrative remedies against contractors, subcontractors involved in the contract with joint/severable liability imposed on contractors or subcontractors. Effective 9/1/2025.
Summary
S0069 creates a new section of Rhode Island wage law aimed at the construction industry. It makes contractors potentially liable for wage theft or nonpayment claims arising from work performed by subcontractors at any tier on a construction project, including claims for wages, benefits, wage supplements, penalties, liquidated damages, attorneys’ fees, and related costs. The bill defines key terms such as contractor, subcontractor, owner, construction contract, notice, and benefits, and it applies to construction contracts entered into, renewed, modified, or amended on or after September 1, 2025.
Under the bill, a wage claimant must give written notice to the contractor within 45 days of the last alleged wage theft. A contractor can extinguish liability for damages under this section by making a written offer and paying all wages allegedly owed within 45 days after receiving notice. The bill limits a contractor’s joint and several liability to 120 consecutive days of alleged wage theft, counted backward from the last violation before notice, while preserving other wage-law remedies. It also bars waivers of contractor liability by individual agreements, but allows waiver through a collective bargaining agreement with a bona fide building and construction trade labor organization that expressly references the section.
Impact
The bill would expand Rhode Island’s wage enforcement framework by adding contractor-level liability for unpaid wages and related compensation in construction projects, even when the underlying violation was committed by a subcontractor. It would affect Chapter 28-14 of the General Laws, and it also references remedies under related wage and labor statutes, including prevailing wage and wage payment provisions. The measure would channel enforcement into civil and administrative actions, while preserving the attorney general’s authority to bring civil actions on behalf of employees.
Sentiment
The available context suggests the bill is generally pro-worker and intended to strengthen wage recovery in the construction industry. Its structure reflects support for employees and wage claimants by creating a clearer path to recovery and by preventing contractors from avoiding responsibility through subcontracting arrangements. No committee transcript or recorded vote is available here, so there is no direct evidence of formal opposition or support beyond the bill’s text and caption.
Contention
The main point of contention is likely the imposition of joint and several liability on contractors for wage violations committed by subcontractors, which shifts financial and compliance risk up the contracting chain. Contractors may view the 45-day notice requirement and 120-day damages cap as important protections, while labor advocates may focus on the bill’s broader accountability and anti-waiver provisions. Another likely issue is the carveout allowing collective bargaining agreements to waive the section, which may be seen as balancing worker protections with negotiated labor relations.