7 More ‘Bad Businesses’ Caught Stiffing Employees, NJ Says

NEW JERSEY — Seven Garden State businesses were added this month to a state list of employers who have failed to pay wages, benefits and taxes and are thus barred from receiving public contracts, according to the state Department of Labor.

As of June 20, a total of 168 businesses are listed on the state's Workplace Accountability in Labor List, or WALL, with the newest additions reportedly owing the state or their workers a combined $323,745 for violating the New Jersey workers’ compensation law.

The WALL is updated monthly and businesses on the list currently owe more than a combined $17 million for violations of wage, benefit or tax laws.

"All New Jersey businesses must comply with the law. When some businesses don’t, it’s more difficult for law-abiding businesses to compete," the New Jersey Department of Labor states on its website. "The WALL is a powerful tool established by law to hold businesses accountable for failing to satisfy their outstanding liabilities to the State."

The state passed legislation to create the WALL last September.

Robert Asaro-Angelo, commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, told New Jersey 101.5 that businesses on the list have had a chance to appeal the findings against them and pay for their violations.

"We don't want this list to get bigger. We want the list to get smaller," Asaro-Angelo told the station. "We're very proud that in New Jersey, an overwhelming majority are good employers."

The businesses added to the WALL this month were:

• ADM Food Service Corp d/b/a Cheeseburger Cheeseburger (Englishtown)
• Violations: The NJ Wage Payment Law - P.L.1965, c.173 (C.34:11-4.1 et seq.); The NJ State Wage and Hour Law - P.L.1966, c.113 (C.34:11-56a et seq.); The NJ Prevailing Wage Act - P.L.1963, c.150 (C.34:11-56.25 et seq.)
• Armor Refractory & Gunite Corp (Newark)
• Violations: The NJ Wage Payment Law - P.L.1965, c.173 (C.34:11-4.1 et seq.); The NJ State Wage and Hour Law - P.L.1966, c.113 (C.34:11-56a et seq.); The NJ Prevailing Wage Act - P.L.1963, c.150 (C.34:11-56.25 et seq.)
• Busted Knuckle Auto & Tire LLC d/b/a Busted Knuckle Towing (Marmora; Ocean City)
• Violations: The NJ Wage Payment Law - P.L.1965, c.173 (C.34:11-4.1 et seq.); The NJ State Wage and Hour Law - P.L.1966, c.113 (C.34:11-56a et seq.); The NJ Prevailing Wage Act - P.L.1963, c.150 (C.34:11-56.25 et seq.)
• Galan Transportation LLC (Philadelphia)
• Violations: The Workers' Compensation Law - R.S.34:15-1 et seq
• Premier Steel Inc. (Long Beach, NY; Palm Bay, FL)
• Violations: The NJ Wage Payment Law - P.L.1965, c.173 (C.34:11-4.1 et seq.); The NJ State Wage and Hour Law - P.L.1966, c.113 (C.34:11-56a et seq.); The NJ Prevailing Wage Act - P.L.1963, c.150 (C.34:11-56.25 et seq.)
• Rtech Consulting, LLC d/b/a Central Career School (South Plainfield; Nutley; Woodside, NY)
• Violations: The NJ Wage Payment Law - P.L.1965, c.173 (C.34:11-4.1 et seq.); The NJ State Wage and Hour Law - P.L.1966, c.113 (C.34:11-56a et seq.); The NJ Prevailing Wage Act - P.L.1963, c.150 (C.34:11-56.25 et seq.)
• Schaffer Quality Builders LLC (West New York; Teaneck; Hackensack)
• Violations: The NJ Wage Payment Law - P.L.1965, c.173 (C.34:11-4.1 et seq.); The NJ State Wage and Hour Law - P.L.1966, c.113 (C.34:11-56a et seq.); The NJ Prevailing Wage Act - P.L.1963, c.150 (C.34:11-56.25 et seq.)