Construction firm expected to resolve huge wage-theft case

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — A Pennsylvania construction contractor is expected to resolve a massive wage-theft case in which it was accused of stealing tens of millions of dollars from its own workers by systematically violating state and federal prevailing wage laws on taxpayer-funded public infrastructure projects.

Glenn O. Hawbaker Inc. of State College is scheduled to appear in Centre County Court to enter a plea Tuesday, followed by a news conference in Harrisburg by Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro to announce a “major update” in the criminal case.

Hawbaker, a 70-year-old company that booked $1.7 billion in state transportation construction contracts between 2003 and 2018, has been charged with four counts of theft. An email was sent to a company spokesperson seeking comment on Tuesday’s plea hearing.

Shapiro has called it a “massive, unprecedented fraud” and the largest case of its kind nationally.

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/business-theft-199e8f9011567a4c4af861e70095e2c3

[twodogsbarking]

1. Shapiro already nailed another business individual in State College.

This is a bigger fish.

[ancianita]

2. A "swift resolution" means returning the money and paying a fine with "no admission of guilt," then

deducting their costs as a business expense. Typical of fictional personhoods. They should lose their construction license and be banned from ever doing business in any level of the construction sector again.

Such a ruling would set a legal precedent as warning to other corrupt companies.

[twodogsbarking]

4. Wait and see. There was already the precedent ruling

in another case. The owner sentenced to jail.

[quakerboy]

3. Before reading

Im guessing that they will agree to pay back the amount they stole from workers. maybe with a nominal fee.

The skeptic in me says they offered partial payment.

The article does not seem to say. perhaps its not public knowledge.

Regardless. when the cost for breaking the law on paying employees is just to have to pay up, with no real consequences past that.. why wouldnt powerful employers do that? Its a win/break even for them.

[twodogsbarking]

5. It was agreed they would pay $ 20m to employees

and some other costs and be monitored for five years. Super secret probation I guess.

[quakerboy]

6. "stole more than $20 million"

per the article. If they agreed to pay 20m, and stole over 20m... Theres a decent chance even with some fines or fees they still broke even.

So again I ask.. why would any company in this country pay its workers fairly and legally, when you can pay them less and pocket the stolen amount, and the only consequence is having to cough up the stolen amount? or only part of it.