3 Morris Companies Got 'Stop-Work' Orders From NJ: What It Means

MORRIS COUNTY, NJ — New Jersey has released “stop work” orders for three Morris County companies after evidence of “worker exploitation,” according to new state data.

The New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development (NJDOL) recently released a list of county-by-county data that show the locations of all “stop work” orders issued between July 2019 and July 2023.

Out of the 110 stop-work orders issued since 2019, state officials say that 87 involved construction jobs, and 44 were public works projects. Stop-work order investigations have so far led to 11 contractors being debarred from engaging in future public works jobs. Officials said these companies could owe up to $2.7 million in back wages, damages, and penalties.

According to a statement from the governor’s office, the NJDOL’s Division of Wage and Hour and Contract Compliance has the authority to immediately halt work at any public or private worksite – both construction and non-construction – when an investigation finds evidence that an employer may have violated state wage, benefit or tax laws.

“The most common violations leading to stop-work orders are: employers not having workers’ compensation insurance or misclassifying employees as independent contractors. Other examples include employers who fail to pay prevailing wage or overtime; those who have outstanding judgments against them; or those whose workers were not paid, were paid late or were shorted, or were paid in cash off the books,” the state official said.

“Often, these unscrupulous employers have not made their required contributions to the state unemployment trust fund, from which unemployment payments are drawn.”

In Morris County, stop work orders were issued to the following companies:

• Public House Partners, LLC: Chester
• Argo Fuel LLC: Rockaway
• Ultimate Framing, LLC: Parsippany

In the four years since Gov. Phil Murphy expanded the state’s ability to halt work on job sites, more than 110 such orders have been issued across New Jersey.

“Since the beginning of our administration, we have been dedicated to respecting, defending, and upholding the rights of all New Jersey workers, who are the lifeblood of our economy,” Murphy said.

“These expanded powers have led to over a hundred stop-work orders in just the past few years, advancing our commitment to stronger and fairer worker protections.”

Labor Commissioner Robert Asaro-Angelo said that the vast majority of New Jersey employers follow the law and do right by their workers. But when a business doesn’t treat its workers fairly, an example needs to be made, he said.

“It’s not just about stopping the violations in progress,” Asaro-Angelo said. “There is also an educational component to prevent these issues from happening in the first place.”