Senate Bill 426 would make home or business owners liable for the wages of any employee working for a contractor at the owner’s home or business if contractor did not pay that worker.

“Digest: The Act makes laws about unpaid wages for workers who work on construction projects. Makes an owner and a direct contractor jointly and severally liable in a civil action for any unpaid wages owed to the unrepresented employees of the direct contractor and subcontractors at any tier. Provides the statute of limitations for actions regarding recovery for unpaid and overtime wages. Requires subcontractors to provide certain payroll records and other information to the owner or the direct contractor, upon request. Permits the owner and the direct contractor to withhold payment to a subcontractor in certain circumstances.”

Here is an easier to read summary presented to the Senate:

So, if you have already paid the contractor or subcontractor, if they did not pay the people they owed, home and business owners would have to pay that worker’s wages again. And they can be held liable for those damages.