Legal
Va. Contractor Fined for Alleged DC Wage and Classification Violations
A Virginia contractor will pay $725,000 to resolve allegations that it violated the District of Columbia’s wage and hour laws on more than a dozen public housing projects.
An investigation by the DC Office of Attorney General (OAG) accused Sterling, Va., exteriors contractor Christian Siding of failing to pay prevailing wages to workers on three publicly-funded affordable housing projects in the District, and misclassified employees as independent contractors on 13 additional projects. The investigation, which examined Christian Siding’s work in the District from 2021 to early 2024, also alleged that the company deprived workers of overtime wages and benefits such as paid sick leave and overtime pay for working more than 40 hours a week.
Under terms of a settlement agreement with the OAG, Christian Siding will pay more than $364,000 to 229 harmed workers, as well as $360,000 in penalties to the District. The company also will be required to implement new processes to ensure that all workers hired for projects in the District are properly classified in compliance with District law, and receive all of the wages and benefits they are legally owed. OAG will monitor Christin Siding for compliance for two years, and impose additional penalties for any future worker misclassification.
Christian Siding cooperated with the investigation, according to a statement from the OAG, though it denied the allegations. The company’s agreement to enter into the settlement neither constitutes nor can be construed as an admission of any wrongdoing or liability, according to the settlement terms.
Christian Siding has not responded to ENR’s request for comment.
