Chicago Construction News staff writer
Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul has filed a lawsuit against PMJ Enterprises Inc. (PMJ) and its owner and president alleging that the Chicago-based construction company misclassified workers as independent contractors and failed to pay them hundreds of thousands of dollars in overtime wages.
Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul
“In Illinois, we will not allow employers to skirt the law by misclassifying their employees as independent contractors,” Raoul said in a statement. “My office will continue to fight to ensure workers are protected from misclassification and violations of their right to be paid what they are owed under the law.”
The Attorney General’s Workplace Rights Bureau launched an investigation that revealed PMJ paid some workers through money orders and checks issued by pass-through companies in an effort to disguise their employment status. The lawsuit further claims PMJ underreported wages to the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) to avoid paying unemployment insurance contributions.
Raoul’s office alleges that PMJ violated both the Illinois Minimum Wage Law—which requires employers to pay non-exempt employees 1½ times their regular rate for hours worked over 40 per week—and the Employee Classification Act, which defines when construction workers can be legally treated as independent contractors.
The lawsuit seeks recovery of all unpaid wages, statutory damages, interest, and penalties, as well as an injunction preventing PMJ and Espiritu from committing further violations.
Raoul said his office remains committed to protecting Illinois workers, particularly those in vulnerable or immigrant communities. Over the past year, the Attorney General’s office has recovered more than $15 million for workers across the state.
Workers who believe they have experienced wage or hour violations can contact the Attorney General’s Workplace Rights Hotline at 1-844-740-5076 or file a complaint online at the Attorney General’s website.