Utah state regulators have revoked the license of a contractor who hired at least 225 unlicensed workers for construction work, according to local television station KUTV. The Utah Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing (DOPL) additionally fined the contractor, Francisco Marquez Jr., $225,000.
Marquez’s attorney told DOPL that the “respondent admits that it hired the unlicensed workers but alleges that respondent’s owners are ‘young,’ thought they hired employees and not independent contractors, and alleges there was no intent to violate Utah law,” according to the order.
Marquez is now appealing the order, which was finalized at the end of June. He reportedly paid the 225 unlicensed people nearly $2.3 million in 2017.
Jane Rupp, president of the Better Business Bureau of Utah, said hundreds if not thousands of unlicensed contractors are doing work at homes all across the state.
“Unlicensed contractors, unfortunately, take a lot of money from consumers,” Rupp said. “We hear a lot of stories where consumers have paid thousands and tens of thousands of dollars, and unfortunately, they’ve gotten a shoddy job or no job—they’ve just taken the money.”
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