Employer Hit With $1.7 Million Judgment for Misclassifying Workers, Underpaying Premiums

The Washington Court of Appeals upheld a $1.7 million judgment against an employer for deliberately misclassifying its workers and underpaying its premiums. O.M.A. Construction Inc. is a contractor and subcontractor for public works projects. Its employees drive dump trucks loaded with materials to, from and within construction or reclamation sites. Approximately 70%-75% of its employees’ driving is on or within construction sites, and the drivers primarily stay in the cab of the truck and do not run excavation equipment. In June 2015, the Department of Labor and Industries audited O.M...