The lead Wisconsin misclassification investigator says he'd like more authority to issue stop work orders when officials find evidence that wage theft, payroll fraud and other abuses are taking place at a job site.

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Doug Speedling isn't the sort of person who would strike anyone as an agitator. Sporting a neatly trimmed mustache, the owner of Speedling Construction in St. Paul comes off as a businessman who just wants to do what he does best: build things.

Tagged with: wage theft worker misclassification

If drywall and flooring could talk, it'd probably have a dark story to tell about Wisconsin's ongoing construction boom. Behind projects big and small, say people close to the industry, there thrives an underground economy made up of contractors who cheat their workers out of wages and benefits to deliver projects on time and under budget.

Tagged with: Construction Business Group Department of Workforce Development wage theft worker misclassification

Gov. Tony Evers on Friday announced appointments to a task force that will examine worker misclassification and payroll fraud in Wisconsin.

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Gov. Tony Evers on Friday announced appointments to a task force that will examine worker misclassification and payroll fraud in Wisconsin.

Tagged with: DWD Tony Evers worker misclassification

As Wisconsin revisits rules to crack down on worker misclassification, a new law that took effect in Minnesota on Monday is attaching criminal penalties not only to that particular abuse but also other forms of wage theft — making it one of the strictest such laws in the country.

Tagged with: Department of Workforce Development North Central States Regional Council of Carpenters wage theft worker misclassification

Nearly 20% of jobs in the United States are now some form of non-traditional worker-company relationship, like independent contractor. Independent contractor work is appealing for both the worker and the company. The contractor has the benefit of setting prices, work hours, type of work and completion schedule. It also has the freedom and flexibility to staff to meet their needs and reduce training time and costs.

Tagged with: ABC John Schulze worker misclassification

State officials on Monday said they are searching for new ways to prevent the abuse of worker misclassification, a persistent source of concern that contractors blame for keeping bids artificially low and giving rise to an underground economy.

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Gov. Tony Evers is convening a task force to recommend ways to combat the abuse of work misclassification.

Tagged with: Dan Bukiewicz Department of Workforce Development Gov. Scott Walker Gov. Tony Evers Milwaukee Building and Construction Trades Council worker misclassification

A construction lobbying group is pushing for changes to state law that would give Wisconsin companies a bidding advantage on state projects and require companies that misclassify workers to tack the cost of taxpayer-funded health insurance and other benefits onto public bids.

Tagged with: Andrew Disch Associated Builders and Contractors of Wisconsin Inc. Badger Care John Gard John Schulze North Central States Regional Council of Carpenters Wisconsin Infrastructure Investment Now worker misclassification