The Senate Committee on Workforce met for the first time this legislative session Friday afternoon, and immediately discussed a bill relating to prime contractor’s responsibility for wages and benefits.
House Bill 2049 would amend §21-5-7 of the State Code 7 to provide additional language regarding how an employee may seek wages and/or fringe benefits from a prime contractor in the event that a subcontractor does not pay those wages and benefits in a manner consistent with the Wage Payment and Collection Act.
The Committee adopted an amendment proposed by Senator Jefferies (D – Putnam, 8). The amendment states that “An employee must notify the prime contractor within 100 days of being notified by a statement or other means that wages or benefits were not paid.” Once the prime contractor is notified, the employee has 1 year to take action (civil suit), and must produce proof (pay stubs/bank statements) to show missing wages and benefits.
The Committee approved the bill, and will be reported to the Committee on the Judiciary.
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