Task Force Says Employers Duck $58.7M in Premiums by Misclassifying Workers

Businesses misclassifying construction workers in Maryland avoid paying an estimated $58.7 million in workers' compensation premiums annually, according to a new report by the state's Joint Enforcement Task Force on Workplace Fraud. The task force said in its 2024 annual report that 5,595 workers were misclassified in 2024. The Division of Unemployment Insurance identified more than $36 million in unreported taxable wages paid to workers due to workplace fraud last year, while the comptroller assessed $3.5 million in tax, interest and penalties on businesses for misclassifying workers...