Chapter 233
2022 -- S 2412 SUBSTITUTE A AS AMENDED
Enacted 06/28/2022

A N   A C T
RELATING TO PUBLIC PROPERTY AND WORKS -- BUILDING SERVICE WORK

Introduced By: Senators Cano, Quezada, Lawson, Kallman, Ciccone, Burke, DiPalma, Murray, Acosta, and Euer

Date Introduced: February 15, 2022

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
     SECTION 1. Title 37 of the General Laws entitled "PUBLIC PROPERTY AND WORKS"
is hereby amended by adding thereto the following chapter:
CHAPTER 2526
BUILDING SERVICE WORK
     37-25-1 37-26-1. Definitions.
     As used in this chapter:
     (1) "Auxiliary" means an entity that exists to furnish goods or services to students, faculty,
or staff and that charges a fee directly related to the costs of goods or services and are considered
"restricted funds." Auxiliary enterprises are managed as essentially self-supporting activities.
     (2) "Building service employee" or "employee" means any person performing building
services for a contractor under a contract with a state purchasing entity which that is in excess of
one thousand dollars ($1,000) and the principal purpose of such contract is to furnish services
through the use of building services service employees.
     (3) "Building services" means any janitorial or security guard services.
     (4) "Contractor" means any contractor who or that employs employees to perform building
services under a contract with a state purchasing entity and shall include any of the contractor's
subcontractors.
     (5) "Governmental agency" means a state or public agency, a county, municipality, or
school district.
     (6) "Janitorial services" means performance of any duties such as, but not limited to:
cleaning and restocking bathrooms; floor cleaning, servicing, and maintenance for attached
carpeting, hard surfaces, and walk-off mats at all facility entrances (e.g., vacuuming, washing,
sweeping, stripping, waxing, buffing); cleaning of furniture, fixtures, and interior building surfaces
(e.g., dusting, washing, and periodic steam cleaning); all related activities under the other Facilities
Management and Maintenance Standards (FMMS), such as Solid Waste Management and
Integrated Pest Services; use of green cleaning procedures and practices in compliance with all
applicable standards.
     (7) "Predecessor contract" means the contract preceding that to which is being bid upon or
which was recently awarded and to which the current succeeding contract and contractor provide
substantially the same building services to the same state purchasing entity or entities.
     (8) "Public agency" means any body corporate and politic which that has been or will be
created or established within this state, excepting cities and towns, and the university of Rhode
Island board of trustees, for all purchases that are funded by restricted, sponsored, or auxiliary
monies, and the council on postsecondary education for all purchases that are funded by restricted,
sponsored, or auxiliary monies.
     (9) "Restricted funds and sponsored funds" means those funds expendable for operating
purposes but restricted by donors or other outside agencies as to the specific purpose for which they
may be expended (e.g., endowment funds, gifts, scholarships, governmental grants, private grants,
auxiliary enterprises, restricted operational purposes with use-restrictions designated by the
appropriating body).
     (10) "Security guard services" means performance of any duties such as, but not limited to:
securing premises and personnel by patrolling property; inspecting buildings, equipment, and
access points; monitoring of surveillance equipment; investigating disturbances and notifying
tenant agency staff and/or police or fire departments in cases of emergency; monitoring and
authorizing entrance and departure of employees, visitors, and other persons to guard against theft
and maintain security of premises; incident reporting or maintaining a log of activities and
irregularities, such as equipment or property damage, theft, presence of unauthorized persons, or
unusual occurrences; vehicle patrols; inspection; responding to incidents requiring de-escalation
and/or physical intervention.
     (11) "Standard benefits" means the greatest of:
     (i) The benefit rate determined by the United States Department of Labor pursuant to the
"Service Contract Act of 1965" (41 U.S.C. §351, et seq.); or
     (ii) The benefit rate established by the largest collective bargaining agreement (CBA)
covering at least one hundred (100) building service employees performing either janitorial or
security guard services, as applicable, other than those employed by a governmental agency or on
a governmental agency contract or subcontract in Providence County; or
     (iii) The benefit rate in the predecessor contract. Standard benefits shall be an hourly
supplement furnished by a contractor to an employee in one of the following ways:
     (A) In the form of health and/or benefits (not including paid leave) that cost the employer
the entire required hourly supplement amount;
     (B) By providing a portion of the required hourly supplement in the form of health and/or
other benefits (not including paid leave) and the balance in cash; or
     (C) By providing the entire supplement in cash.
     (12) "Standard compensation" means each of the following:
     (i) Standard wage;
     (ii) Standard benefits; and
     (iii) Standard paid leave.
     (13) "Standard paid leave" means the greatest of:
     (i) Vacation and holiday paid days off determined by the United States Department of
Labor pursuant to the "Service Contract Act of 1965" (41 U.S.C. §351, et seq.) for all types; or
     (ii) Vacation and holiday paid days off established by the largest collective bargaining
agreement covering at least one hundred (100) building service employees performing either
janitorial or security guard services, as applicable, other than those employed by a governmental
agency or on a governmental agency contract or subcontract in Providence County,; or
     (iii) The vacation and holiday paid days off in the predecessor contract for the
corresponding type.
     (14) "Standard wage" means the greatest of:
     (i) The wage rate determined by the United States Department of Labor pursuant to the
"Service Contract Act of 1965" (41 U.S.C. §351, et seq.) for Providence County for the relevant
type; or
     (ii) The wage rate established by the largest collective bargaining agreement covering at
least one hundred (100) building service employees performing either janitorial or security guard
services, as applicable, other than those employed by a governmental agency or on a governmental
agency contract or subcontract in Providence County; or
     (iii) The wage rate in the predecessor contract for the corresponding type.
     (15) "State agency" means any department, commission, council, board, bureau,
committee, institution, or other governmental entity of the executive or judicial branch of this state
not otherwise established as a body corporate and politic, and includes, without limitation, the
council on postsecondary education except for purchases which that are funded by restricted,
sponsored, or auxiliary monies, the university of Rhode Island board of trustees, except for all
purchases which that are funded by restricted, sponsored, or auxiliary monies, and the council on
elementary and secondary education.
     (16) "State purchasing entity" means state and public agencies.
     37-25-2 37-26-2. Investigation and determination of standard compensation -- Filing
of schedule.
     The director of labor and training shall investigate and determine the standard
compensation to be paid as set forth in § 37-25-3 37-26-3 and post the rates on the director of labor
and training's website. In making a determination, the director may adopt and use such appropriate
and applicable prevailing wage determinations as have been made by the Secretary of Labor of the
United States of America in accordance with the Service Contract Act, (41 U.S.C. §351 et seq.), as
well as relevant collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) and previous state purchasing entity
contracts.
     37-25-3 37-26-3. Wage and supplement/benefit requirements.
     (a) Every call for bids for every contract for building services in excess of one thousand
dollars ($1,000) to which a state purchasing entity is a party shall contain a provision stating the
standard compensation to be paid to building service employees which shall be made in accordance
with § 37-25-2 37-26-2. Every call for bids shall also specify the number of hours to be worked,
and bidders shall submit pricing on a standard pricing sheet, to be created by the director of labor
and training. The contract shall provide for adjustments of the standard compensation during the
term of the contract.
     (b) All contractors and their subcontractors, who have been awarded contracts for building
services by a state purchasing entity in which public funds are used and of which the contract price
shall be in excess of one thousand dollars ($1,000), shall pay their building service employees the
standard compensation and comply with the provisions set forth in this chapter. This requirement
shall apply regardless of whether the amount is payable at the time of the signing of the contract or
at a later date. Except that notwithstanding any language to the contrary in this section or chapter
the requirement to pay standard benefits shall not apply until the fiscal year beginning on July 1,
2023.
     (c) Every contract within the scope of this chapter shall contain the further provision that
in the event it is found by the director of labor and training that any employee employed by the
contractor or any subcontractor performing building services covered by the contract has been or
is being paid compensation less than the compensation required by the contract to be paid as
aforesaid, the awarding party may terminate the contract. The awarding party shall complete the
work by contract or otherwise and the contractor and his or her sureties shall be liable to the
awarding party for any excess costs the state suffers.
     37-25-4 37-26-4. Overtime compensation.
     Any hours worked in any one week beyond forty (40) hours, or in any one day beyond
eight (8) hours, for work subject to the provisions of this chapter shall be compensated at the rate
of one and one-half (1½) of the standard wage, in addition to the standard benefit and standard paid
leave.
     37-25-5 37-26-5. Posting of standard compensation.
     Each contractor awarded a contract for building services with a contract price in excess of
one thousand dollars ($1,000), and each subcontractor who or that performs building service work
on that contract, shall post in conspicuous places wherever building service employees are
employed, posters which that contain the current standard compensation and its components. The
posters shall also contain the rights and remedies described in §§ 37-25-7 37-26-7 and 37-25-8 37-
26-8 for nonpayment of any wages pursuant to this chapter. Posters shall be furnished to contractors
and subcontractors at the time a contract is awarded by the director of labor and training, who shall
determine the size and content thereof from time to time, at the time a contract is awarded. A
contractor or subcontractor who or that fails to comply with the provisions of this section shall be
deemed guilty of a civil infraction and shall pay the director of labor and training one hundred
dollars ($100) for each calendar day of noncompliance as determined by the director. Contracts set
shall not be awarded by a state purchasing entity until the director of labor and training has prepared
and delivered the poster to the division of purchases and the contractor to whom the contract is to
be awarded.
     37-25-6 37-26-6. Recordkeeping.
     (a) Every contractor with a contract price in excess of one thousand dollars ($1,000) for
building services, and each subcontractor who or that performs work on those building services,
shall keep an accurate record showing the name, occupation, and actual compensation paid to each
worker employed by him or her the contractor or subcontractor in connection with the contract
or work. The director and his or her the director’s authorized representatives shall have the right
to enter any place of employment at all reasonable hours, for the purpose of inspecting the wage
records and seeing that all provisions of this chapter are complied with.
     (b) Every service contractor and subcontractor awarded a contract for building services, as
defined by this chapter, shall furnish a certified copy of his or her the payroll records of his or her
the contractor’s or subcontractor’s employees employed on the contract to the state purchasing
entity on a monthly basis for all work completed in the preceding month on a uniform form
prescribed by the director of labor and training.
     (c) The state purchasing entity, contractor, and subcontractors shall provide any and all
payroll records of labor and training within ten (10) days of their request by the director or designee.
     37-25-7 37-26-7. Enforcement.
     (a) The director of labor and training may promulgate reasonable rules and regulations to
enforce the provisions of this chapter.
     (b) Before issuing an order or determination, the director of labor and training shall order
a hearing thereon at a time and place to be specified, and shall give notice thereof, together with a
copy of the complaint or the purpose thereof, together with a copy of the complaint or the purpose
thereof, or a statement of the facts disclosed upon investigation, which notice shall be served
personally or by mail on any person, firm, or corporation affected thereby. The person, firm, or
corporation shall have an opportunity to be heard in respect to the matters complained of at the time
and place specified in the notice, which time shall be not less than five (5) days from the service of
the notice personally or by mail. The hearing shall be held within ten (10) days from the order of
hearing. The hearing shall be conducted by the director of labor and training or his or her the
director’s designee. The hearing officer in the hearing shall have the right to issue subpoenas,
administer oaths, and examine witnesses. The enforcement of a subpoena issued under this section
shall be regulated by the Rhode Island superior court rules of civil procedure. The hearing shall be
expeditiously conducted, and upon such hearing, the hearing officer shall determine the issues
raised thereon and shall make a determination and enter an order within ten (10) days of the close
of the hearing, and forthwith serve a copy of the order, with a notice of the filing thereof, upon the
parties to the proceeding, personally or by mail. The order shall dismiss the charges or direct
payment of wages or supplements found to be due, including interest at the rate of twelve percent
(12%) per annum from the date of the underpayment to the date of payment, and may direct
payment of reasonable attorneys' fees and costs to the complaining party.
     (c) In addition to directing payment of wages or supplements including interest found to
be due, the order shall also require payment of a further sum as a civil penalty in an amount up to
three (3) times the total amount found to be due. Further, if the amount of salary owed to an
employee pursuant to this chapter but not paid to the employee in violation thereof exceeds five
thousand dollars ($5,000), it shall constitute a misdemeanor and shall be referred to the office of
the attorney general. The misdemeanor shall be punishable for a period of not more than one year
in prison and/or a fine of not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000). In assessing the amount of
the penalty, due consideration shall be given to the size of the employer's business, the good faith
of the employer, the gravity of the violation, the history of previous violations, and the failure to
comply with recordkeeping or other nonwage requirements. The surety of the person, firm, or
corporation found to be in violation of the provisions of this chapter shall be bound to pay any
penalties assessed on such person, firm, or corporation. The penalty shall be paid to the department
of labor and training for deposit in the state treasury; provided, however, it is hereby provided that
the general treasurer shall establish a dedicated "standard compensation enforcement fund" for the
purpose of depositing the penalties paid as provided herein. There is hereby appropriated to the
annual budget of the department of labor and training the amount of the fund collected annually
under this section, to be used at the direction of the director of labor and training for the sole purpose
of enforcing standard compensation as provided in this chapter.
     (d) For the purposes of this chapter, each day or part thereof in violation of any provision
of this chapter by a person, firm, or corporation, whether the violation is continuous or intermittent,
shall constitute a separate and succeeding violation.
     (e) In addition to the above, any person, firm, or corporation found in violation of any of
the provisions of this chapter by the director of labor and training or his or her the director’s
hearing officer, shall be ineligible to bid on, or be awarded work by a state purchasing entity or
perform any such work for a period of no less than eighteen (18) months and no more than thirty-
six (36) months from the date of the order entered by the hearing officer. Once a person, firm, or
corporation is found to be in violation of this chapter, all pending bids with a state purchasing entity
shall be revoked, and any bid awarded by a state purchasing entity prior to the commencement of
the work shall also be revoked.
     (f) In addition to the above, any person, firm, or corporation found to have committed two
(2) or more willful violations in any period of eighteen (18) months of any of the provisions of this
chapter by the hearing officer, which violations are not arising from the same incident, shall be
ineligible to bid on, or be awarded work by a state purchasing entity or perform any work for a
period of sixty (60) months from the date of the second violation.
     (g) The order of the hearing officer shall remain in full force and effect unless stayed by
order of the superior court.
     (h) In addition to the above, any person, firm, or corporation found to have willfully made
a false or fraudulent representation on certified payroll records shall be referred to the office of the
attorney general. A first violation of this section shall be considered a misdemeanor and shall be
punishable for a period of not more than one year in prison and/or a fine of one thousand dollars
($1,000). A second or subsequent violation of this section shall be considered a felony and shall be
punishable for a period of not more than three (3) years imprisonment, a fine of three thousand
dollars ($3,000), or both. Further, any person, firm, or corporation found to have willfully made a
false or fraudulent representation on certified payroll records shall be required to pay a civil penalty
to the department of labor and training in an amount of no less than two thousand dollars ($2,000)
and not greater than fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000) per representation.
     (i) Any effort of any employer to obstruct the director and his or her the director’s
authorized representatives in the performance of their duties shall be deemed a violation of this
chapter and punishable as such.
     (j) The director and his or her the director’s authorized representatives shall have power
to administer oaths and examine witnesses under oath, issue subpoenas, subpoenas duces tecum,
compel the attendance of witnesses, and the production of papers, books, accounts, records,
payrolls, documents, and testimony, and to take depositions and affidavits in any proceeding before
the director.
     (k) In case of failure of any person to comply with any subpoena lawfully issued, or
subpoena duces tecum, or on the refusal of any witness to testify to any matter regarding which he
or she may be lawfully interrogated, the provisions of chapter 35 of title 42 ("administrative
procedures") shall apply.
     (l) Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, any employer who shall violate or fail to
comply with any of the provisions of this chapter shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be
punished by a fine of not less than five hundred dollars ($500) nor more than one thousand dollars
($1,000) for each separate offense, or by imprisonment of up to one year, or by both fine and
imprisonment. Each day of failure to pay wages due an employee at the time specified in this
chapter shall constitute a separate and distinct violation.
     (m) The director is hereby empowered to enforce his or her the director’s decision in the
superior court for the county of Providence.
     37-25-8 37-26-8. Private right of action.
     (a) An employee or former employee, or any organization representing such an employee
or former employee, of a contractor or subcontractor may bring a civil action for a violation of §
37-25-3 37-26-3 for appropriate injunctive relief including reinstatement, or actual damages, or
both within three (3) years after the occurrence of the alleged violation. An action commenced
pursuant to this section may be brought in the superior court for the county where the alleged
violation occurred, the county where the complainant resides, or the county where the person
against whom in the civil complaint is filed resides or has their principal place of business. Any
contractor or subcontractor who or that violates the provisions of § 37-25-3 37-26-3 shall be liable
to the affected employee or employees in the amount of back pay or unpaid wages or benefits, plus
interest. A civil action filed in court under this section may be instituted instead of, but not in
addition to the director of labor and training enforcement procedures authorized by this chapter,
provided the civil action is filed prior to the date the director of labor and training issues notice of
an administrative hearing.
     (b) An action instituted pursuant to this section may be brought by one or more employees
or former employees on behalf of himself/herself or themselves the employee(s) or former
employee(s) and other employees similarly situated or by any person, including any organization,
alleging violations, except that no employee shall be a party plaintiff to any such action unless
he/she the employee gives his/her consent in writing to become such a party and such consent is
filed in the court in which such action is brought.
     (c) In an action filed under this section in which the plaintiff prevails, the court shall, in
addition to any judgment awarded to the plaintiff, require reasonable attorneys' fees and the costs
of the action to be paid by the defendant.
     (d) The court in an action filed under this section shall award affected employees or former
employees liquidated damages in an amount equal to two (2) times the amount of unpaid wages or
benefits owed. Unpaid fringe benefit contributions owed pursuant to this section in any form shall
be paid to the appropriate benefit fund; however, in the absence of an appropriate fund, the benefit
shall be paid directly to the individual.
     (e) The filing of a civil action under this section shall not preclude the director of labor and
training from referring a matter to the attorney general as provided § 37-25-7 37-26-7(c), from
prohibiting a contractor or subcontractor from bidding on or otherwise participating in contracts as
provided in § 37-25-7 37-26-7(e), (f) and (i), or from prohibiting termination of work on failure to
pay agreed wages pursuant to § 37-25-3 37-26-3(c).
     (f) Any person, firm, or corporation found to have willfully made a false or fraudulent
representation in connection with wage obligations owed on a contract shall be required to pay a
civil penalty to the department of labor and training in an amount of no less than one thousand
dollars ($1,000) and not greater than three thousand dollars ($3,000) per representation. Such
penalties shall be recoverable in civil actions filed pursuant to this section. For purposes of this
subsection "willfully" shall mean representations that are known to be false, or representations
made with deliberate ignorance or reckless disregard for their truth or falsity.
     37-25-9 37-26-9. Retaliation.
     (a) An employer shall not discharge, threaten, or otherwise discriminate against an
employee, or former employee, regarding compensation terms, conditions, locations, or privileges
of employment because the employee or former employee, or a person or organization acting on
his or her the employee’s behalf:
     (1) Reports or makes a complaint under this section, or otherwise asserts his or her the
employee’s rights under this section; or
     (2) Participates in any investigation, hearing, or inquiry held by the director of labor and
training under §§ 37-25-7 37-26-7 or 37-25-8 § 37-26-8, or upon a review of an investigation under
this section, or for participating in a private right of action brought under this chapter. In the event
a contractor or subcontractor retaliates or discriminates against an employee in violation of this
section, the affected employee may file an action in any court of competent jurisdiction and the
court shall order reinstatement and/or restitution of the affected employee, as appropriate, with back
pay to the date of the violation, and an additional amount in liquidated damages equal to two (2)
times the amount of back pay and reasonable attorneys' fees and costs.
     (b) As used in this section, to discharge, threaten, or otherwise discriminate against any
employee includes threatening to contact or contacting United States immigration authorities or
otherwise threatening to report an employee's suspected citizenship or immigration status or the
suspected citizenship or immigration status of an employee's family or household to United States
immigration authorities.
     37-25-10 37-26-10. Contractor liability.
     (a) A contractor shall be liable for any debt resulting from an action under this chapter,
owed to an employee or third party on the wage claimant's behalf, incurred by a subcontractor at
any tier acting under, by, or for the contractor or its subcontractors for the employee's performance
of labor. The provisions of this section shall not be deemed to limit the liability of a subcontractor
under any other provision of law.
     (b) No agreement or release by an employee or subcontractor to waive liability assigned to
a contractor under this section shall be valid. The provisions of this section shall not be deemed to
impair the rights of a contractor to maintain an action against a subcontractor for owed wages that
are paid by a contractor pursuant to this section.
     (c) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the remedies available for a claim pursuant
to subsection (a) of this section shall only be civil and administrative actions.
     (d) In the case of a private civil action by an employee, such employee may designate any
person, organization, or collective bargaining agent authorized to file a complaint on his or her the
employee’s behalf pursuant to § 37-25-8 37-26-8, to make a wage claim on his or her the
employee’s behalf.
     (e) In the case of an action against a subcontractor, the contractor shall be considered jointly
and severally liable for any unpaid wages benefits, wage supplements, penalties, liquidated
damages, attorneys' fees, and any other costs resulting from such action.
     (f) Nothing herein shall preclude the attorney general from bringing a civil action to collect
unpaid wages and penalties on behalf of employees pursuant to this section.
     (g) Before bringing a civil action pursuant to this section, an employee, or third party on
such employee's behalf, shall give the contractor notice of the alleged violation. The notice need
only describe the general nature of the claim and shall not limit the liability of the contractor or
preclude subsequent amendments of an action to encompass additional employees employed by the
subcontractor. An employee, or third party on such employee's behalf, may not bring a civil action
until ten (10) business days after giving the contractor notice of the alleged violation and may not
bring a civil action if the contractor corrects the alleged violation. An employee, or third party on
such employee's behalf, is not required to give notice to a contractor pursuant to this subsection
before bringing a civil action pursuant to this section if any employee, or third party on any
employee's behalf, previously has given notice to such contractor of the same alleged violation or
a prior alleged violation by the same subcontractor.
     37-25-11 37-26-11. Severability.
     If any section or provision or the application of the section or provision of this chapter to
any person or circumstances shall be held invalid, the validity of the remainder of the sections and
the applicability of the sections or provisions to other persons or circumstances shall not be
affected.
     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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LC004272/SUB A
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