Labor Commissioner’s Office recovers more than $430,000 in unpaid wages
San Diego—The Labor Commissioner’s Office (LCO) successfully secured settlements of $431,601 to return unpaid wages and damages to 86 carpenters employed by the Howood Company Inc. on construction projects in San Diego and San Bernardino Counties.
In December of 2023, the LCO, part of the Department of Industrial Relations (DIR), issued citations to Howood Company, the general contractor, and two other employers, Wermers Multi-Family Corporation and JPI California Construction, LLC, for multiple labor violations. This included unpaid minimum wages, overtime, and other violations.
The LCO began its investigation after receiving a complaint from the Carpenters/Contractors Cooperation Committee, Inc., a labor management cooperation committee within the construction industry. The Carpenters/Contractors Cooperation Committee, Inc., reported that various workers had not received their owed wages. In addition, the LCO received wage theft complaints on two additional construction projects involving Howood. After investigating the various complaints, the LCO issued citations for labor violations at all three projects and filed, what is known as a mechanic’s lien to recover the monies owed to workers.
What Labor Commissioner Lilia García-Brower said: “This enforcement outcome demonstrates our commitment to utilizing every available tool to ensure that workers get paid. Mechanic’s liens are a powerful tool, and in this case allowed us to recover the earned wages owed to workers. Early detection is key to utilize mechanic’s liens. Industry leaders like Carpenters/Contractors Cooperation Committee, Inc., are instrumental to expose cases that would otherwise go undetected.”
The LCO can file enforcement liens on real property to secure amounts owed after any final citation, findings or decision. Mechanic’s liens are an alternative to a judgment lien and must include specified information to be recorded on the relevant party’s real property. A certificate of release is then issued once the amount due, including any interest and costs, has been paid.
The LCO investigation determined that Howood did not pay its workers for several weeks of work at the following projects:
- 1600 Orange Ave, Redlands, CA 92373
- 4354-4364 Twain Ave, San Diego, CA 92110
- 1509-1521 Broadway, San Diego, CA 92101
About the Labor Commissioner’s Office
DIR’s Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (California Labor Commissioner’s Office) combats wage theft and unfair competition by investigating allegations of illegal and unfair business practices. Employers and employees can visit wagetheftisacrime.com for more information on wage theft and available resources.
The LCO in 2020 launched an interdisciplinary outreach campaign, “Reaching Every Californian.” The campaign amplifies basic protections and builds pathways to affected populations, so workers and employers understand legal protections and obligations, as well as the Labor Commissioner’s enforcement procedures.
Workers who have questions about labor laws enforced by the LCO can call 1-833-LCO-INFO (833-526-4636) between the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.
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Employers with Questions on Requirements May Contact: MakeItFair@dir.ca.gov
Media Contact: Communications@dir.ca.gov, (510) 286-1161