2018 -- H 7325

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LC003927

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2018

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO LABOR AND LABOR RELATIONS -- PAYMENT OF WAGES

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Maldonado, Regunberg, Marshall, Blazejewski, and
Amore

     Date Introduced: January 26, 2018

     Referred To: House Labor

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 28-14-1 of the General Laws in Chapter 28-14 entitled "Payment of

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Wages" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     28-14-1. Definitions.

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     Whenever used in this chapter:

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     (1) "Director" means the director of the department of labor and training or his or her

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duly authorized representative.

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     (2) "Employee" means any person suffered or permitted to work by an employer, except

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that independent contractors or subcontractors shall not be considered employees.

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     (3) "Employer" means any individual, firm, partnership, association, joint stock

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company, trust, corporation, receiver, or other like officer appointed by a court of this state, and

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any agent or officer of any of the previously mentioned classes, employing any person in this

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state.

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     (4) "Lien for unpaid wages" means a lien or attachment for the amount of wages owed to

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an employee and penalties authorized under this title or other provisions of law against property

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owned by an employer.

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     (4)(5) "Wages" means all amounts at which the labor or service rendered is recompensed,

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whether the amount is fixed or ascertained on a time, task, piece, commission basis, or other

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method of calculating the amount.

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     SECTION 2. Chapter 28-14 of the General Laws entitled "Payment of Wages" is hereby

 

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amended by adding thereto the following sections:

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     28-14-32. Lien for unpaid wages.

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     When an employer fails or refuses to make wage payments as prescribed by law or

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agreement between the parties, the employee who has performed the service may seek to

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establish a lien on the employer's interest in property for unpaid wages.

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     28-14-33. Prerequisites for a lien for unpaid wages.

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     (a) To request a lien for unpaid wages under § 28-14-35, an employee shall file a

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complaint in superior court which shall include the following:

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     (1) The employee's name and address;

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     (2) The employer's name and address;

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     (3) The amount due to the employee for the service;

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     (4) An affidavit stating the facts to support the complaint; and

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     (5) A general description of the property the employee wishes charged with the lien for

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unpaid wages, sufficient for identification.

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     (b) Upon filing, an employee shall serve notice of the complaint to the employer in

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accordance with the superior court rules of civil procedure.

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     28-14-34. Challenging a lien for unpaid wages.

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     (a) An employer may dispute the claim for unpaid wages by filing an answer to the

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complaint in the superior court within twenty (20) days of receipt of notice of the complaint. If no

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answer is filed with the court within twenty (20) days, the employee may seek a default judgment

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against the employer and the court may order a lien on the employer's property in the amount of

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the wages due plus filing fees and a reasonable attorneys' fee.

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     (b) If an employer files an answer to the complaint the court may, if it deems it

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appropriate, establish a temporary lien on the employer's interest in the identified property and

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determine thereafter whether to issue an order establishing a lien for unpaid wages as described in

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§ 28-14-35 based upon the preponderance of the evidence.

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     (c) If the court issues an order establishing a lien for unpaid wages, the employee shall be

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entitled to court costs and a reasonable attorneys' fee.

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     (d) If the court determines the effort to establish a lien for unpaid wages to have been

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frivolous, made in bad faith, or with the purpose of harassing the employer, the court may, in its

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discretion, award court costs and a reasonable attorneys' fee to the employer.

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     28-14-35. Enforcement of a lien for unpaid wages.

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     A lien for unpaid wages shall be enforced in the same manner as any other judgment lien

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under state law.

 

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     28-14-36. Satisfaction of a lien for unpaid wages.

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     If payment is made for the amount of wages and penalties claimed in the wage lien notice

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or order of the superior court establishing the lien for unpaid wages, the recorded lien shall be

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released forthwith.

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     28-14-37. Contract provisions in contravention of this section void.

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     Any provision of an employment contract that violates §§ 28-14-32, 28-14-33, 28-14-34,

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28-14-35, and 28-14-36 is void as against public policy of the state.

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     SECTION 3. This act shall take effect on January 1, 2019.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO LABOR AND LABOR RELATIONS -- PAYMENT OF WAGES

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     This act would create a legal process to aid employees in collecting their unpaid wages

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from their employer.

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     This act would take effect on January 1, 2019.

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