Public Hearing Testimony of
Danté Bartolomeo
Commissioner
Department of Labor
Labor and Public Employees Committee
March 11, 2025
Good Morning Senator Kushner, Representative Sanchez, Senator Sampson, Representative Weir and members of the Labor and Public Employees Committee.Thank you for the opportunity to provide you with written testimony regarding SB 1488: AN ACT AUTHORIZING THE COMPTROLLER TO WITHHOLD PAYMENT FOR VIOLATIONS OF THE PREVAILING WAGE STATUTES. My name is Danté Bartolomeo, and I am the Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Labor (CTDOL).
We support SB 1488 which will allow the Comptroller to withhold payment of money to a contractor or subcontractor for a violation of subsection (b) of section 31-53 of the general statutes where a stop work order was issued by the Labor Commissioner.
A stop work order against an employer requires the cessation of business operations until all violations are remedied.
Prevailing wages are the minimum wage rates and benefits that are set for different classifications of workers in a specific area. The prevailing wage is the hourly rate and benefits paid to most workers on public works projects for similar work in a specific area.
Stop work orders are issued to employers who knowingly misrepresent employees as independent contractors or provide false, incomplete, or misleading information to an insurance company on the number of employees for the purpose of paying a lower workers’ compensation premium. Stop work orders are also issued when a contractor or employer doesn’t pay workers the legally required prevailing wage on public works projects; projects that are paid with a certain amount of public funds.
CTDOL is committed to protecting the rights of Connecticut workers. While most employers come into compliance quickly so that they can resume their business, some bad actors repeatedly violate wage laws throughout a project, or from project to project over time.
We believe that allowing the Comptroller to withhold payment to a contractor or subcontractor for a violation of prevailing wage law on public works projects makes sense. We expect that the ability to apply this law, especially to repeat offenders, will be a strong deterrent to wage theft and will result in greater compliance with Connecticut’s wage laws. Therefore, we support SB 1488 as an additional tool in our toolbox to protect workers and hold unscrupulous employers accountable.
Thank you for the opportunity to provide the Committee with this written testimony. My staff and I are reachable to further discuss SB 1488 by directing any questions you may have to Billy Taylor, Legislative and Administrative Advisor at william.b.taylor@ct.gov or 203-947-4136.
