The bill amends Chapter 28-14 of the General Laws by introducing a new section titled "Construction industry paycheck recovery." It establishes that contractors will be held civilly liable and/or jointly civilly liable for any claims of wage theft or nonpayment made by employees against them, their subcontractors, and any subcontractor involved in the performance of the contract, provided that written notice of the alleged violation is given to the contractor within 45 days from the last occurrence of the alleged wage theft.

The bill defines key terms such as "benefits," "construction," "contractor," "subcontractor," and "owner." It outlines the conditions under which contractors can be held liable, including a limitation on liability to 120 consecutive days of any alleged wage theft, counting back from the day of the last violation prior to the notice. A written offer and payment in full of all wages allegedly owed during the 45-day period after receipt of the notice by a contractor will extinguish the contractor's liability for damages under this section.

Additionally, the bill specifies that the remedies available for claims under this section will be limited to civil and administrative actions. It allows for the waiver of these provisions through a collective bargaining agreement with a bona fide building and construction trade labor organization, ensuring that such waivers do not diminish or impair the rights of employees under any other section of the law.

The act is set to take effect on September 1, 2025, and will apply to construction contracts entered into, renewed, modified, or amended on or after this effective date.