The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries found that Vancouver-based contractor 360 Sheet Metal violated state prevailing wage laws during construction projects at four schools in Clark County.
An investigation launched in 2020 found the company owes $201,223 in wages and interest to about 20 employees. The department also issued more than $115,000 in penalties against the company and owner Beverley Martin for failure to pay prevailing wages and file required reports during the construction process.
State investigators said 360 Sheet Metal’s lack of transparency in ensuring proper wages on a taxpayer-funded project led to higher penalties. The company is expected to appeal the citations, which will move to the Office of Administrative Hearings without a set timeline.
Joe Martin, project director at 360 Sheet Metal, said Tuesday the company feels confident that prevailing wage law does not apply to its work on these projects.
The Prevailing Wage Act sets hourly wage rates for various jobs across companies to protect workers and keep public contractor bids competitive. Per Chapter 39.12 RCW, local government contractors and subcontractors are required to pay prevailing wages to all workers for all public works and maintenance contracts, regardless of the dollar value of the contract.
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