(A) No person, firm, corporation, or public authority that constructs a public improvement with its own forces, the total overall project cost of which is fairly estimated to be more than the amounts set forth in division (B) of section 4115.03 of the Revised Code, adjusted biennially by the director of commerce pursuant to section 4115.034 of the Revised Code, as appropriate, shall violate the wage provisions of sections 4115.03 to 4115.16 of the Revised Code, or suffer, permit, or require any employee to work for less than the rate of wages so fixed, or violate the provisions of section 4115.07 of the Revised Code. Any employee upon any public improvement, except an employee to whom or on behalf of whom restitution is made pursuant to division (C) of section 4115.13 of the Revised Code, who is paid less than the fixed rate of wages applicable thereto may recover from such person, firm, corporation, or public authority that constructs a public improvement with its own forces the difference between the fixed rate of wages and the amount paid to the employee and in addition thereto a sum equal to twenty-five per cent of that difference. The person, firm, corporation, or public authority who fails to pay the rate of wages so fixed also shall pay a penalty to the director of seventy-five per cent of the difference between the fixed rate of wages and the amount paid to the employees on the public improvement. The director shall deposit all moneys received from penalties paid to the director pursuant to this section into the industrial compliance operating fund. The director shall use the fund for the enforcement of sections 4115.03 to 4115.16 of the Revised Code. The employee may file suit for recovery within ninety days of the director's determination of a violation of sections 4115.03 to 4115.16 of the Revised Code or is barred from further action under this division. Where the employee prevails in a suit, the employer shall pay the costs and reasonable attorney's fees allowed by the court.

(B) Any employee upon any public improvement who is paid less than the prevailing rate of wages applicable thereto may file a complaint in writing with the director upon a form furnished by the director. The complaint shall include documented evidence to demonstrate that the employee was paid less than the prevailing wage in violation of this chapter. Upon receipt of a properly completed written complaint of any employee paid less than the prevailing rate of wages applicable, the director shall take an assignment of a claim in trust for the assigning employee and bring any legal action necessary to collect the claim. The employer shall pay the costs and reasonable attorney's fees allowed by the court if the employer is found in violation of sections 4115.03 to 4115.16 of the Revised Code.

(C) If after investigation pursuant to section 4115.13 of the Revised Code, the director determines there is a violation of sections 4115.03 to 4115.16 of the Revised Code and a period of sixty days has elapsed from the date of the determination, and if:

(1) No employee has brought suit pursuant to division (A) of this section;

(2) No employee has requested that the director take an assignment of a wage claim pursuant to division (B) of this section.

The director shall bring any legal action necessary to collect any amounts owed to employees and the director. The director shall pay over to the affected employees the amounts collected to which the affected employees are entitled under division (A) of this section. In any action in which the director prevails, the employer shall pay the costs and reasonable attorney's fees allowed by the court.

(D) Where persons are employed and their rate of wages has been determined as provided in section 4115.04 of the Revised Code, no person, either for self or any other person, shall request, demand, or receive, either before or after the person is engaged, that the person so engaged pay back, return, donate, contribute, or give any part or all of the person's wages, salary, or thing of value, to any person, upon the statement, representation, or understanding that failure to comply with such request or demand will prevent the procuring or retaining of employment, and no person shall, directly or indirectly, aid, request, or authorize any other person to violate this section. This division does not apply to any agent or representative of a duly constituted labor organization acting in the collection of dues or assessments of such organization.

(E) The director shall enforce sections 4115.03 to 4115.16 of the Revised Code.

(F) For the purpose of supplementing existing resources and to assist in enforcing division (E) of this section, the director may contract with a person registered as a public accountant under Chapter 4701. of the Revised Code to conduct an audit of a person, firm, corporation, or public authority.

(G) No contractor or subcontractor shall be responsible for the payment of the penalties provided in division (A) of this section resulting from a violation of sections 4115.03 to 4115.16 of the Revised Code by its subcontractor, provided that the contractor or subcontractor has made a good faith effort to ensure that its subcontractor complied with the requirements of sections 4115.03 to 4115.16 of the Revised Code.

Amended by 129th General AssemblyFile No.127, HB 487, §101.01, eff. 9/10/2012.

Amended by 129th General AssemblyFile No.28, HB 153, §101.01. See act for effective dates.

Effective Date: 09-26-2003 .