The owners of a Massachusetts-based asbestos remediation company were arraigned on wage theft charges following construction work at Barrington Middle School, Attorney General Peter F. Neronha announced Tuesday.
Thomas McCoog, 64, and Amy Franklin, 57, of Franklin Analytical Services in Marion were each charged with five counts of failure to pay overtime on a prevailing wage job, one count of conspiracy to failure to pay overtime wages, one count of conspiracy to file false certified payroll, and one count of filing a false certified payroll document.
Court findings show that they are accused of failing to pay overtime wages of at least $12,000 to five former employees for asbestos remediation work performed between June and September 2019 during construction at the school.
McCoog and Franklin allegedly did not pay their employees for work performed on weekends during that time knowingly, and filed a false certified payroll document with the town of Barrington.
"Under Rhode Island law, wage theft violations, regardless of the amount in wages implicated, are misdemeanor crimes," said the press release.
They are scheduled for a pretrial conference on Nov. 17.