Virginia Governor Ralph Northam has signed an executive order establishing a task force to come up with a plan to prevent worker misclassification and payroll fraud.
The state estimates that the misclassification of employees as independent contractors costs Virginia as much as $28 million a year in state income tax collections.
A 2012 legislative report found that one-third of audited employers in certain industries misclassify their employees. By failing to purchase workers’ compensation insurance, pay unemployment insurance and payroll taxes, and failing to comply with minimum wage and overtime laws, employers lower their costs by as much as 40 percent. That places other employers at a competitive disadvantage.
The task force will develop a plan to hold companies working on state contracts accountable if they commit payroll fraud through misclassification.
Topics Virginia
Was this article valuable?
Here are more articles you may enjoy.
Adjusters Launch ‘CarFax for Insurance Claims’ to Vet Carriers’ Damage Estimates
MAPFRE Accuses AAA of Violating Long-Time Exclusive Marketing Agreement
Door of Swiss Bar Where 40 Died in Fire Was Locked, Says RTS
Supreme Court Rejects Challenge to $2.46B Boy Scouts Sex Abuse Settlement 

