SACRAMENTO – Senator Bill Dodd, D-Napa, enacted laws on Wednesday to protect contractors’ workers by ensuring compliance with California’s labor compensation laws.
“While many are doing the right thing, too many times we’ve seen contractors not have workers’ compensation insurance,” Dodd said. “My bill removes barriers to coverage so we can protect employees who could be injured at work.”
California has around 230,000 licensed contractors in 44 different fields, from general construction and engineering to electricians, plumbers, and landscapers. Around 55% state that they have no employees, relieving them of the obligation to take out employee compensation insurance. However, research and enforcement actions by the Contractors State Licensing Board suggest that many of these claims are false, leading to a widespread problem where workers are left unprotected.
Dodd’s bill would require all concrete, heating, air conditioning, and arborists to take out insurance, whether or not they have employees. Furthermore, all approved contractors of the state would have to take out workers’ compensation insurance by 2025.
The bill is sponsored by the Contractors State License Board.
“Construction is one of the most dangerous occupations,” said David De La Torre, chairman of the Contractors State License Board. “And the CSLB supports these efforts to ensure California contractors have workers’ compensation insurance to protect workers injured in the workplace as well as project owners and homeowners from claims for damages.”
Dodd represents the 3rd Senate District, which includes all or part of the counties of Napa, Solano, Yolo, Sonoma, Contra Costa, and Sacramento. Information can be found at www.sen.ca.gov/dodd.
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