Bay Shore company charged with violating labor laws, underpaying workers, Nassau DA says

A Bay Shore company accused of misclassifying 10 workers and underpaying them $47,000 in wages has been charged with violation of labor laws, Nassau District Attorney Anne Donnelly said.

SIW Inc. was arraigned Thursday before Nassau Judge Ari Schulman on the violation of labor law, a misdemeanor, Donnelly said in a statement. According to Donnelly, the company misclassified 10 journeymen and paid them at the lower apprentice wage rate. One worker was shorted nearly $19,000.

“Prevailing wages are important to ensuring that employees on public work sites throughout Nassau County are compensated appropriately for their specialized skills,” Donnelly said.

If convicted, the architectural and industrial metal fabricating company could be ordered to pay $47,004 in restitution and a $20,000 fine. SIW is scheduled to return to court Feb. 29.

SIW attorney Cornell V. Bouse, of Lloyd Harbor, said the district attorney’s office notified the company about the alleged underpayments several months ago and the company has been working with prosecutors to address the issue. He blamed the underpayments on bookkeeping issues and pointed out that none of the company’s executives or employees face criminal charges.

“Anybody who was underpaid, we want to make sure they are made whole,” Bouse said.

The labor law violations, according to Donnelly, are connected to Nassau County public projects SIW worked on between Jan. 1, 2019, and May 16, 2023. The work was related to projects for the Merrick Union Free School District, Baldwin Union Free School District, Lynbrook Union Free School District, Manhasset Union Free School District, Westbury Union Free School District, Locust Valley Central School District, North Shore School District, Syosset Fire Department, Massapequa Fire Department and Mineola Fire Department.