City Contractor Sued Over Workers’ Pay

The state Division of Labor Standards Enforcement has sued a construction firm hired by the city of Oxnard, alleging that the firm failed to pay wages owed to workers for a curb and gutter repair project.

In a complaint filed in Ventura County Municipal Court on Oct. 24, the state agency alleges that B-1 Enterprise Corp. owes $88,873 in wages, as well as $39,000 in penalties for labor law violations.

The state complaint comes after city officials launched an investigation into working conditions during the project, which went on for several months at different locations earlier this year. A report by Equality Consulting, a labor compliance firm hired by the city, contains numerous worker allegations.

According to the report, workers complained that they were ordered to tell inspectors they were making $26 per hour, but some earned only $5.26 per hour. There were also complaints that workers were not allowed lunch breaks and had to sleep in a storage container and use a fire hydrant for washing. The report says employees came from such cities as Corona, Riverside and Compton.

State officials were unavailable for comment on the suit. Officials at the Rancho Cucamonga-based B-1 Enterprise Corp. and their attorneys could not be reached for comment.

Earlier this fall, Oxnard city officials decided to withhold payment from B-1 Enterprise Corp. for failing to pay prevailing wages to employees. The firm has sued the city, seeking $143,745 for completing the project and legal expenses.

Oxnard City Councilman John Zaragoza said allegations of worker exploitation surfaced when some workers complained to a city construction inspector.