Contractor For Mercer Island, Bellevue Schools Fined

MERCER ISLAND, WA - The state Department of Labor and Industries has settled with a Bonney Lake construction company over alleged wage violations. I&C Northwest will no longer be able to bid on public projects, and will pay over $200,000 in back wages.

I&C Northwest did pipe insulation work in 2015 and 2016 for local school districts, including Bellevue, Clover Park, Mercer Island, North Thurston, Tacoma, Tahoma, Tumwater, Seattle, and Snoqualmie Valley, according to state officials.

According to the state, the company falsified payroll records and didn't pay employees the proper amount. The state discovered the violations under the state's prevailing wage law.

"The citations are based on I&C’s repeated wage violations despite L&I’s efforts to educate the company on following the prevailing wage law," Prevailing Wage Program manager Jim Christensen said in a statement. "I&C is one of the worst examples of a contractor taking advantage of workers, public agencies, taxpayers and fellow contractors."

Image via Shutterstock