All posts by Carol Ciesielski

Nov 18 2019
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2019 SPEC-MIX BRICKLAYER 500

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The Northeast Regional Spec-Mix Bricklayer 500 was held on October 10th at the IMI/BAC Training Center in Fairfield, NJ.  Congratulations to our Member VIP Construction and their Mason/Mason Tender Team who took First Place. Good Luck on February 5, 2020 when you complete in the Las Vegas World Championship at the World of Concrete/World of Masonry!  Read More

The Pennsylvania & South Jersey Regional Spec-Mix Bricklyaer 500 was held on September 19th at the Xfinity Live Arena in Philadelphia, PA.  Congratulations to our Member Dandrea Masonry and their Mason/Mason Tender Team who took  Third Place.  Read More…

Nov 18 2019
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Coalition of Trade Associations Formed

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Earlier this year our Executive Director, Carol Ciesielski, formed a Coalition of Trade Associations to address misclassifying employees as independent contractors and the entire underground construction economy in New Jersey.

In addition to Masonry Contractors of New Jersey, the other associations that currently comprise the Coalition are Associated Construction Contractors of NJ (ACCNJ), South Jersey Mechanical Contractors Association (SJMCA), Employing Bricklayers Association (EBA) and the NJ Association of Plumbing, Heating and Cooling Contractors (PHCC).

The Coalition’s contractor members alone have reported a loss of approximately 30% of their revenue each year in the private sector due to unfair and unlawful …

Nov 18 2019
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First Stop Work Orders Issued by NJDOL

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 NJ Labor Department Issues First Stop Work Orders at Two NJ Construction Sites

Department Takes Action Against Employer Using Expanded Enforcement

Authorities Signed into Law by Gov. Murphy in July

As released by NJDOL.gov on September 17, 2019

 TRENTON – The New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development (NJDOL) issued work stoppage orders at two construction sites, managed by Three Sons Restoration, LLC. of Union, for wage violations – a first-of-its-kind action taken by the department after Governor Murphy expanded its enforcement authorities in July.

 In accordance with N.J.S.A 34:20-7.1, NJDOL’s Division of Wage and Hour Compliance shut down …

Aug 26 2019
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2nd Annual Topgolf Tournament – Thank You

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A special Thank You to all those who supported Masonry Contractors of New Jersey’s 2nd Annual Topgolf Tournament held on September 26, 2019.  The day was filled with good weather, good food & drinks, good fun and most importantly good company.   Our Members and Colleagues make these events possible and we look forward to seeing everyone next year.   

View our Gallery for more photos

 …

Aug 07 2019
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We said NO to IRAPs for the Construction Industry

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MASONRY CONTRACTORS OF NEW JERSEY, ICE, IMI and OUR INDUSTRY PARTNERS SAID NO TO IRAPs for the CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY!

The U.S. DOL is revising title 29 CFR part 29, Labor Standards for the Registration of Apprenticeship Programs, and proposed a new rule to expand apprenticeships in America to establish guidelines for third parties to certify IRAPs, Industry Recognized Apprenticeship Programs.  IRAPs would allow industry organizations rather than the DOL to oversee these programs and take over much of the standard-setting that is currently done by the DOL and its state agencies.

IRAPS can pose a serious threat to the construction …

Jul 16 2019
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Hayward Man Sentenced to More Than 8 1/2 Years in Prison on Forced Labor and Illegal Harboring Charges

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OAKLAND – A federal jury convicted Job Torres Hernandez of charges that he obtained forced labor from victims and harbored illegal aliens for commercial advantage or private financial gain, announced United States Attorney David L. Anderson and Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent-in-Charge Ryan L. Spradlin.  The conviction follows a ten day trial before the Honorable Jeffrey S. White, U.S. District Judge.

The evidence at trial demonstrated that since at least May 2015, Torres, 38, of Hayward, Calif., owned construction companies in Northern California at which he employed workers to whom he paid little to …

Jul 16 2019
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Bill No. A3666 Signed by Governor Murphy is Now in Effect – New Apprenticehip and Training Requirements for Public Works Contractors

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Bill No. A3666 was signed by Governor Murphy on January 3, 2019 and went into effect on  May 1, 2019.   The bill requires workers who are subject to “The Public Works Contractor Registration Act” to have completed or be actively participating in a registered apprenticeship program; an apprenticeship program that is registered with and approved by the United States Department of Labor and provides the trainee with combined classroom and on-the–job training in an occupation recognized as a trade and meets the program standards of enrolment and graduation under the Code of Federal Regulations.  

Many of the states’ 10,000 plus …

Jul 10 2019
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Bill No. S2577: Stop-Work Order — Signed into Law

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Bill No. S2557, which concerns stop-work orders related to prevailing wage and construction worker employment, was passed in both houses with a vote of 37-1 and on July 9, 2019, was signed by the Governor to take effect immediately.

Contractors that are violating prevailing wage or any wage & hour laws are cheating their workers, law abiding contractors, and the State of New Jersey.

Bill No. S2557 provides the Commissioner of Labor & Workforce Development the ability to investigate unfair business practices and issue stop-work orders.

Noted are some of the Bill’s regulations:

The Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development…
Jul 10 2019
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Joint Membership Meeting on Misclassification & the Underground Construction Economy

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On April 17, 2019 Masonry Contractors of New Jersey and the South Jersey Mechanical Contractors Association held a joint member    meeting.  John Connors of SJMCA spoke briefly and introduced the evening’s guest speakers on the topic of Misclassification and the Underground Construction Economy, Carol Ciesielski of Masonry Contractors of NJ and Kevin Triplett of the NJ Department of Labor & Workforce Development.   Over 50 Members from the two Associations joined the discussion and were given the opportunity to ask questions.   Misclassification and the Underground Construction Economy are ongoing problems in the state of New Jersey.   Other states have been fighting …

Jul 09 2019
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Governor Murphy Releases Report on Employee Misclassification

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July 9, 2019 – Article from New Jersey Department of Labor

Governor Phil Murphy today released a comprehensive report from the Task Force on Employee Misclassification, vowing to intensify efforts to curtail the widespread and illegal practice of misclassifying workers as independent contractors instead of employees, which cheats some workers out of benefits and wages, hurts law-abiding business owners, and costs the state tens of millions of dollars a year in lost employment-related tax revenue.
The Governor has given the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development (NJDOL) new tools to help put an end to misclassification and noted …