California is suing West Coast Drywall & Paint over alleged wage and hour violations, according to The Press-Enterprise.

The lawsuit alleges that since at least August 2019, the contractor has failed to pay wages (including overtime pay), provide accurate itemized wage statements, reimburse employees for tools and equipment, and provide mandated breaks for workers.

“Workplace laws are essential for the benefit and safety of California workers,” Attorney General Rob Bonta said this February. “The California Department of Justice is here to protect workers from exploitive businesses like West Coast Drywall & Paint. Bottom line, if you are a company that is taking advantage of workers, we will prosecute you. My office will continue to stand up for the rights of workers across the state.”

West Coast Drywall & Paint advertises that it is the largest drywall and painting subcontractor in Southern California, providing its services to some of the state’s largest homebuilders, including KB Home, Lennar Homes and Shea Homes. Bonta said that in the past four years, the company employed about 7,000 workers, with the majority as drywall and painting field employees.

According to the lawsuit, which was filed in San Diego County Superior Court, West Coast Drywall & Paint’s piece-rate compensation system is central to pay practices and labor law violations. Under the system, instead of paying a fixed hourly wage, the company pays its field employees for each piece they complete at a promised rate.

Although piece-rate compensation systems like the one used by West Coast Drywall & Paint are common in the construction industry, Bonta said that employers often abuse them by obscuring their failure to compensate workers for all hours worked.

The Attorney General Office’s investigation revealed that West Coast Drywall & Paint did not provide legally mandated information to employees about the number of pieces that formed the basis of their pay, making it impossible for workers to accurately calculate the wages they were owed.