The Pennsylvania House of Representatives has passed a bill that would require construction labor brokers to register with the state, in a bid to tackle the issue of misclassified workers. The legislation, which still has to be passed by the state Senate, would also make it mandatory for contractors to check the registration status of any labor broker with whom they work.
According to State Rep. Jeanne McNeill (D-133), who sponsored the bill, individuals working in construction and other industries are often misclassified as independent contractors, depriving them of certain workplace protections.
“Many unethical labor brokers take advantage of workers by misclassifying them as independent contractors,” she said. “Some labor brokers engage in insurance fraud schemes, tax avoidance plans, wage theft violations and even use workers’ immigration status for leverage to rob workers of their wages and neglect other important workplace protections.
“These practices negatively impact workers, legitimate contractors and contractors who choose only to work with responsible labor brokers,” McNeill added.
The bill, H.B. 1748, now moves to the state Senate for further consideration before it can be become law.
This local news story was reported with generative AI assistance.
