The New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development issued a stop-work order on October 16 against 3 J's Masonry Corp. of Waldwick, New Jersey, halting its concrete decking and rebar work at the South Bound Brook Public Safety Building and Police Department, according to an NJDOL press release dated October 23.
3 J's Masonry was hired as a sub-subcontractor, brought onto the public works job by subcontractor Suliman Construction LLC of Clifton, New Jersey. The primary contractor on the project is G. Meyer Group Inc. of Brielle, New Jersey. NJDOL's Division of Wage and Hour Compliance listed six workers affected.
NJDOL cited the firm for failure to pay prevailing wage, failure to submit certified payroll to the public body, failure to register as a public works contractor, unpaid or late wages, and misclassifying construction workers. "Public works projects should set the standard for fair labor practices, not undermine them," Assistant Commissioner for Wage and Hour Compliance Joseph Petrecca said in the release. "When contractors cut corners by shortchanging workers, they're not only harming families – they're also compromising the integrity of public projects and gaining unfair advantages over law-abiding contractors."
This is a New Jersey state enforcement action, not a New York City Department of Buildings matter. NJDOL's release states the agency has issued 234 stop-work orders since the state expanded its enforcement powers in July 2019.