RI H7961

Contractors on construction projects under the Rhode Island Building Code become jointly and severally liable for wage theft committed by subcontractors at any tier in the contract chain

Written notice of alleged wage violations must be provided to the contractor within 45 days of the last occurrence, and the contractor can extinguish liability by paying all owed wages in full within 45 days of receiving notice

Contractor liability is limited to 120 consecutive days of alleged wage theft, counting backward from the last violation before notice was given

Employees may authorize any person, organization, or collective bargaining agent to file wage claims on their behalf; the Attorney General may also bring civil actions to collect unpaid wages

Provisions may be waived through collective bargaining agreements with bona fide building and construction trade labor organizations, and the act applies to contracts entered into, renewed, modified, or amended on or after January 1, 2027