Building Owner Clients

Potentially liable for unpaid wages and uninsured accidents. High turnover also compromises service & safety.

POTENTIAL LIABILITY
The line between the janitorial contractor and the client can sometimes blur especially when client building managers and facility personnel interact with subcontracted janitorial employees. If it can be determined that the client is knowledgeable of illegal activities and/or in some way participated in the supervising of janitors while labor laws are being broken, the client may be on the hook legally and financially. Learn about a $22.4 million liability settlement

LOWERED SERVICE
When a building owner hires an unscrupulous contractor that skirts minimum wage laws and forces janitors to work under sweatshop-like conditions, employee turnover is very high. With a revolving door, new workers take weeks and sometimes months to be trained on building procedures and particular client needs.

LOWERED SAFETY & SECURITY
With a revolving workforce, janitors often lack training on health and safety and are more prone to accidents on site. More importantly for clients, with so many people coming and going, it is difficult to maintain the security and peace of mind one has with a more stable workforce.

Responsible Contractors

Cannot compete with unscrupulous contractors who offer clients lower costs by breaking the law such as underpaying minimum wages and skirting taxes.

WHO ARE THE RESPONSIBLE CONTRACTORS?
Across California, there are hundreds of responsible janitorial contractors who follow the law, pay decent wages, and provide health insurance for their employees. These contractors sign into master union contracts throughout various areas covering the greater Los Angeles area, the Orange County area, the greater San Diego area, San Francisco, the Silicon Valley & East Bay areas, and the greater Sacramento area. By signing a contact, they not only provide a guaranteed wage and benefit structure for their employees, but also decent working conditions set by the agreement. 

COMPETITIVE DISADVANTAGE FOR RESPONSIBLE CONTRACTORS
By paying decent wages and providing health benefits, responsible contractors are already at a competitive disadvantage from many non-union employers who keep their employees in poverty. More importantly, when unscrupulous contractors skirt minimum wage and workers compensations laws, they artificially drive down the cost of doing business in an illegal manner. Responsible contractors are often driven out of bids by such contractors simply because the cost for lawfully paying taxes and workers comp are so much higher. See how much more it costs to follow the law

Workers & Taxpayers

Workers are robbed of millions in unpaid wages, and taxpayers lose millions in taxes & workers compensation insurance.

WORKERS & THEIR FAMILIES LOSE
It is common for unscrupulous janitorial employers to skirt California labor laws by underpaying minimum wage, overtime, and double time. Often, janitors may work for weeks straight without a day off.  This not only jeopardizes janitors’ ability to pay rent, buy food, and meet their basic expenses, but their families suffer. Janitors often have to take 2nd jobs to make ends meet and do not have time to spend getting involved with their children’s education or in the community.

HOSPITAL BILLS PAID FOR BY TAXPAYERS
Employers who rob janitors of minimum wage almost never provide health insurance and also avoid paying workers compensation insurance. Janitors injured on the job or sick end up in County hospitals funded by CA taxpayers.

CA TAXPAYERS ROBBED OF MILLIONS IN TAX REVENUES
When unscrupulous janitorial contractors skirt minimum wage laws, they pay in cash, do not take pay payroll taxes, and rob CA State of millions in uncollected taxes. Those millions would normally go to the CA general fund to pay for education,  health care, transportation, and other critical public needs.  Download the numbers on losses to CA