January 2010

Labor Standards Investigation Leads to Employer's Debarment from Public Works Projects

An investigation conducted by the Missouri Labor Department’s Division of Labor Standards (DLS) has resulted in a Neosho plumbing company, Plumbco, Inc., being placed on the debarment list with the Secretary of State’s Office.

The recent action prohibits the company’s owner, Michael B. Robin, and any other company he may own, from contracting directly or indirectly with any public body for a period of one year.

Robin, who operated Plumbco, Inc., was found guilty on three counts for willfully violating the state’s prevailing wage law. The Missouri Prevailing Wage Law establishes a minimum wage rate that must be paid to workers on public works construction projects in Missouri, such as bridges, roads and government buildings. The prevailing wage rate differs by county and for different types of work. Robin pled guilty to paying three workers less than the required prevailing wages for their work on a public works project.

A judge sentenced Robin to 14 days in the county jail, but the jail sentence is suspended unless he violates the law again. Instead, Robin was sentenced to two years’ probation. As a condition of his parole, Robin was ordered to make full and complete restitution in the amount of $3,406.43 to the three workers who were not paid the full wages owed to them under the law.

“This should be a warning to all contractors working on public works projects who think they can get away with violating the law,” said Labor Department Director Larry Rebman. “We will continue to work with the Attorney General’s Office to make sure those who violate the law are prosecuted.”

The Labor Department urges employees to file a complaint with the DLS if they feel they are not being paid the proper wages. To file a wage complaint visit www.labor.mo.gov/dls/prevailingwage/index.asp. The site also contains information about the state’s prevailing wage rates.