AM Construction Services Fined by Attorney General's Office

A Framingham business owner was among several subcontractors cited by the Massachusetts Attorney General's office for violations.

AM Construction Services and its President, Adimar Demoura of Framingham, allegedly failed to pay four workers a total of $15,331.50 for framing work done on private residential projects in Braintree and Plymouth. They were also fined $22,500 in penalties.

Subcontractors working at Pulte Homes sites in eastern Massachusetts have been ordered to pay more than $400,000 in unpaid wages and penalties, and more than $141,000 has been recovered in previously outstanding revenue for Massachusetts’ unemployment system, according to a press release by Attorney General Martha Coakley’s Office, the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development and the Joint Enforcement Task Force on the Underground Economy and Employee Misclassification.

"All workers in the Commonwealth deserve to be paid for the wages they have earned, including their overtime,” said Coakley in the press release.  “We will continue to work together and take appropriate action to stop these unlawful business practices, level the playing field for companies and protect workers.”

“The Commonwealth is committed to insuring that all businesses carry both workers’ compensation and unemployment insurance coverage,” said Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development Joanne F. Goldstein in the release.  “We will not tolerate employers or developers who proceed without this coverage, which puts employees at risk and employers who play by the rules at a competitive disadvantage.  The Joint Task Force will continue to take all necessary action to protect legitimate employers, employees and the taxpayers of the Commonwealth.” 

Earlier this year, the Attorney General’s Office and the other offices received wage and hour complaints against multiple subcontractors working at sites operated by Pulte Homes. The workers alleged that they were not paid for overtime and not paid for all hours worked. Workers were often paid in cash and by checks, that bounced.  

As a result of the AG’s investigations, five employers were ordered to pay back a total of $409,777.75 in unpaid wages and penalties. Those penalties were for the failure to pay wages and overtime, failure to issue suitable pay stubs, failure to furnish records for inspection, and misclassification of workers as independent contractors. 

Workers who believe that their rights have been violated are strongly urged to call the Attorney General’s Fair Labor Hotline at 617-727-3465, or the Joint Task Force Referral Line at 877- 965-2267, or visit the Joint Task Force website at http://www.mass.gov/lwd/eolwd/jtf/ to submit a complaint via email.  More information about the wage and hour laws is also available in multiple languages at the Attorney General’s Workplace Rights website at www.massworkrights.com.