Attorney General Schwalb Secures $350,000 for District & Workers Cheated in Misclassification Scheme
Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb today announced that Tricon Construction, Inc. (Tricon) will pay $350,000 to resolve allegations that Tricon and four of its subcontractors engaged in an illegal worker misclassification scheme that denied sick leave and other benefits to approximately 200 District construction workers. The District's Workplace Fraud Act (WFA) provides heightened protections for workers in the construction industry, including a presumption that they should be classified as employees rather than independent contractors. Tricon is a framing and drywall installation company that entered into agreements with numerous subcontractors to complete construction projects in the District. However, four of those subcontractors—Zepeda Drywall Inc., RJA Construction, G&O Drywall Inc., and SGA Construction Corp.—misclassified their workers as independent contractors instead of employees in violation of the WFA and the District’s Sick and Safe Leave Act.