Barrington Middle School Contractors Stole Wages From Workers: AG

BARRINGTON, RI — Two owners of a Massachusetts-based asbestos remediation company were arraigned after stealing the wages of their employees, who were working on Barrington Middle School, according to Attorney General Peter Neronha.

Thomas McCoog, 64, and Amy Franklin, 57, the owners of Franklin Analytical Services in Marion, were each charged with five counts of failure to pay overtime on a prevailing wage job, conspiracy to failure to pay overtime wages, conspiracy to file false certified payroll and filing a false certified payroll document.

Under Rhode Island law, wage theft violations, regardless of the amount stolen, are misdemeanor crimes.

According to court documents, McCoog and Franklin failed to pay at least $12,000 in overtime wages to five former employees. The employees worked on Barrington Middle School between June and September 2019. Prosecutors said the owners knowingly did not pay their employees for work performed on weekends during that time period, and they filed a false certified payroll document with the Town of Barrington.

Under state law, contracts for public works awarded by government entities must pay overtime wages for work performed over 40 hours.

McCoog and Franklin are scheduled for a pretrial hearing on Nov. 17.