EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES
Eastern European Construction Workers Federation (EECWF) seeks to educate the local construction workers and its members and provide answers about the following:
- What are my legal rights as a Construction Workers?
- What happens to me and my family if I am injured on the job?
- Am I entitled to monetary compensation if I am injured on the job?
- What do I do if my boss violates Minimum Wage, Overtime and Prevailing Wage Law?
ASSOCIATED ATTORNEY/LAWYER SERVICES
Eastern European Construction Workers Federation (EECWF) helps local construction workers and members get the legal representation that they need through its in-house and other associated attorneys. If you need legal representation or need to speak with an attorney kindly contact us at 718-376-0216 or www.eecwf.com. No enrollment forms or fees are required. Eastern European Construction Workers Federation (EECWF) members are automatically enrolled and are entitled to the following benefits for each separate legal matter:
- A free initial consultation with a lawyer of up to 30 minutes (in person or over the phone);
- A free simple document review and explanation;
- A free follow-up letter or phone call, if likely to resolve a legal matter.
- Most additional services are discounted by 30% (including attorney’s hourly rates and flat fees for most common legal cases.)
INJURED ON THE JOB
Many of our members were trying to be taken advantage by their bosses.
New York State Labor Law in New York State provides special protection to workers who are injured in construction accidents. This can include demolition, renovation, alteration, or repair of structures or buildings. When workers are injured due to violations of Labor Law sections 200, 240, or 241, they may be entitled to recover damages regardless of who was responsible for the accident.
Section 200 – Requires owners and contractors to take reasonable care to protect workers and provide safe workplaces that are fully under their control. If a construction worker is seriously injured due to an unsafe workplace, they may be entitled to compensation.
Section 240 – Protects the rights of construction workers injured in high falls or after being struck by a falling object. It is also known as the scaffold law, and under this law, parties such as the general contractor, project owner, project manager, and building owner may all be held responsible.
Section 241 – Concerns specific actions that must be carried out on a job site, and specific equipment that must be provided, all in the name of safety. If these actions or equipment are neglected by those in charge, an injured worker will have a strong chance of recovering full damages after their accident.
VIOLATIONS: MINIMUM WAGE, OVERTIME, PREVAILING WAGE LAW
Wage theft is a big problem in the construction industry and it drives down standards for all workers. Wage theft is the unlawful withholding of wages or benefits owed to a construction worker. It can take many different forms – from illegal “deductions” from an employee’s paycheck to not paying an employee at all. Attorneys associated with the Eastern European Construction Workers Federation (EECWF) have worked against these employers and won back pay for our members.
Violation of Minimum Wage, Overtime and Prevailing Wage Laws
Eastern European Construction Workers Federation (EECWF) and their associated attorneys found many instances of contractors not paying the legally mandated wages due; including ignoring the federal or state mandated prevailing wage on construction sites, having employees work “off the clock,” or paying the regular rate for overtime hours.
Employee Misclassification
Incorrectly classifying an employee as an independent contractor is a big problem in the New York State. Employee Misclassification leaves millions of workers without protections and benefits. In its last comprehensive review, the IRS estimated that about 15 percent of employers misclassified a total of 3.4 million employees, resulting in an estimated revenue loss of $1.6 billion. The U.S. Department of Labor has found that 10-30 percent of employers audited had misclassified employees.
- Misclassified workers are denied many workplace protections and benefits that they are entitled.
- Misclassified workers do not have overtime wage and hour protections.
- Misclassified employees must pay self-employment taxes on top of their personal income taxes.
- If a misclassified employee is injured on the job, the worker may have difficulty accessing workers’ compensation and laid-off workers may not be eligible for unemployment compensation.
- Misclassified employees do not receive benefits such as health insurance or paid holidays.
Illegal Deductions
Illegal deductions are a form of wage theft in which an employer takes money out of an employee’s paycheck either for something they should be providing or some other item that is not a lawful charge to the employee.
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST
Eastern European Construction Workers Federation (EECWF) provides ALL its member services and benefits FREE OF CHARGE.
WHO IS ELIGIBLE
Eastern European Construction Workers Federation (EECWF) welcomes and is open to ALL construction workers in the State of New York and New Jersey.
NEXT STEP…
Register with us for a free and no obligation membership to receive benefits now.
