2016 -- S 2235 AS AMENDED

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LC004159

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2016

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO LABOR AND LABOR RELATIONS -- PAYMENT OF WAGES

     

     Introduced By: Senators Ruggerio, McCaffrey, Goodwin, Coyne, and Archambault

     Date Introduced: January 27, 2016

     Referred To: Senate Labor

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 28-14-1 of the General Laws in Chapter 28-14 entitled "Payment of

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Wages" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     28-14-1. Definitions. -- Whenever used in this chapter:

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      (1) "Director" means the director of the department of labor and training or his or her

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duly authorized representative.

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      (2) "Employee" means any person suffered or permitted to work by an employer, except

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that independent contractors or subcontractors shall not be considered employees.

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      (3) "Employer" means any individual, firm, partnership, association, joint stock

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company, trust, corporation, receiver, or other like officer appointed by a court of this state, and

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any agent or officer of any of the previously mentioned classes, employing any person in this

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state.

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     (4) "Lien for unpaid wages" means a lien for the amount of wages owed to an employee

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and penalties authorized under this title or other provisions of law against real or personal

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property owned by an employer; provided, that for purposes of this definition only, the term

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"employer" shall not include any agent or officer of any of the "previously mentioned classes"

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referred to in subsection (3) of this section, other than a chief executive officer or equivalent

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individual.

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     (4) (5) "Wages" means all amounts at which the labor or service rendered is

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recompensed, whether the amount is fixed or ascertained on a time, task, piece, commission

 

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basis, or other method of calculating the amount.

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     SECTION 2. Chapter 28-14 of the General Laws entitled "Payment of Wages" is hereby

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amended by adding thereto the following sections:

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     28-14-32. Lien for unpaid wages. -- When an employer fails or refuses to make wage

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payments as prescribed by law or agreement between the parties, the employee who has

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performed the service may establish a lien for unpaid wages.

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     28-14-33. Prerequisites for a lien for unpaid wages. -- To establish a lien for unpaid

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wages under §28-14-35 of this chapter, an employee shall first provide to the employer personally

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or by prepaid registered or certified mail, in either case return receipt requested, a written wage

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lien notice that:

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     (1) States the amount due to the employee for the service; and

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     (2) Contains a general description of the property to be charged with the lien for unpaid

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wages sufficient for identification.

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     28-14-34. Challenging a lien for unpaid wages. -- (a) An employer may dispute a lien

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for unpaid wages by filing in the superior court for the county in which the employee's services

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were rendered, within thirty (30) days after receipt of such notice as described in §28-14-33, a

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complaint that contains:

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     (1) The name of the employer that owes the employee the wages and the name of the

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employee to whom the wages are owed;

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     (2) A copy of the notice that was provided to the employer pursuant to §28-14-33;

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     (3) A statement of any defense to the lien for unpaid wages; and

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     (4) An affidavit containing a statement of facts in support of defenses raised.

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     (b) The employer or employee may request an evidentiary hearing.

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     (c) If the court issues an order establishing a lien for unpaid wages, the employee shall be

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entitled to court costs and reasonable attorney's fees.

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     (d) If the court determines the effort to establish a lien for unpaid wages to have been

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frivolous, made in bad faith, or with the purpose of harassing the employer, the court may, in its

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the employer shall be entitled to court costs and reasonable attorney's fees.

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     28-14-35. Establishing a lien for unpaid wages. -- (a) If no complaint is filed disputing

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a lien for unpaid wages, such lien is established thirty (30) days after service of notice as

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described in §28-14-33.

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     (b) If an employer files a complaint, the court shall establish a temporary lien on the

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identified property and determine, within thirty (30) days of the filing of the complaint, whether

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to issue an order establishing a lien for unpaid wages as described in §28-14-35 based upon the

 

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preponderance of the evidence.

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     28-14-36. Recordation of lien for unpaid wages. -- (a) If the employer fails to file a

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timely complaint disputing the notice of a wage lien, or if the superior court orders the

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establishment of a lien for unpaid wages, the employee may record the lien for unpaid wages by

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filing wage lien notice, described in §28-14-33, in the land evidence records in the city or town in

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which the services were rendered within one-hundred eighty (180) days after the lien for unpaid

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wages is established.

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     (b) A lien for unpaid wages filed under this section shall be considered a secured claim

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that has priority for the date of delivery of the wage lien notice.

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     28-14-37. Satisfaction of a lien for unpaid wages. -- If payment is made for the amount

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of wages and penalties claimed in the wage lien notice or order of the superior court establishing

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the lien for unpaid wages, the recorded lien shall be released.

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     28-14-38. Enforcement of a lien for unpaid wages. -- (a) A lien for unpaid wages shall

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be enforced in the same manner as any other judgment under state law.

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     (b) An action to enforce a lien for unpaid wages shall be brought within ten (10) years of

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the date of filing of the lien notice.

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     28-14-39. Contract provisions in contravention of this section void. -- Any provision

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of an employment contract that violates this section is void as against public policy of the state.

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     28-14-40. Director initiated for unpaid wages. -- In addition to the foregoing

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provisions, the director may seek to establish a lien for unpaid wages on behalf of an employee.

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     SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO LABOR AND LABOR RELATIONS -- PAYMENT OF WAGES

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     This act would establish a procedure for employees to secure liens against employers for

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unpaid wages. Contested claims would be decided by the superior court. Contracts of

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employment in contravention of this chapter would be void as against public policy.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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