Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett (R) signed into law The Public Works Employment Verification Act (Act No.127), which requires all public works contractors and subcontractors with the state to enroll in and use E-Verify for newly hired employees. The law will take effect January 1, 2013.
Failure of public works state contractors and subcontractors in Pennsylvania to use E-Verify by January 1, 2013 would lead to the following sanctions:
- For a first violation, a public works contractor or subcontractor will receive a warning letter detailing the violation that shall be posted on the Department of General Services of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Internet website.
- For a second violation, a public works contractor or subcontractor shall be debarred from public work for 30 days.
- For a third violation and subsequent violations, a public works contractor or subcontractor shall be debarred from public work for not less than 180 days and not more than one year.
- If the public works contractor or subcontractor is found to have engaged in a willful violation, that public works contractor or subcontractor will be debarred from public work for a period of three years.
In addition, the new law will also subject willful violators who misrepresent themselves to a civil penalty of $250 or up to $1,000 for each violation. It also contains protections for whistleblowers and a “Good Faith” defense clause.
Read the full story at ESR News.
Updated: Wed, Jul 18th 2012 @ 11:43am EDT