Glenview companies accused of underpaying construction workers reach $550,000 settlement

A settlement for $550,000 was reached with a Glenview construction company accused of misclassifying and underpaying employees for six years, according to the Illinois attorney general’s office.

Polo Masonry Builders Inc., United Builders Group Co. and company owners Petro Pariychuk and Oleh Synychak will be ordered to pay back the workers the wages they were owed, as well as $12,500 for investigative costs, court documents show.

“When employees are misclassified as independent contractors, they are deprived of critical labor protections they deserve and are entitled to under state law,” Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul said in a statement. “My office will not stop fighting to protect workers’ rights and ensure that all employers doing business in Illinois comply with Illinois laws across all industries.”

An investigation — spurred by complaints from Bricklayers District Council 1 and the Illinois Department of Insurance — found the companies misclassified nearly 100 employees as independent contractors between 2017 and 2023, according to the Illinois attorney general’s office.

They were paid for all hours worked, including hours worked above 40 per week, at their regular hourly rate of pay without receiving any premiums for overtime hours. Illinois minimum-wage law requires that overtime pay be 150% of regular hourly wages for each hour over 40 worked in a single workweek.

If accepted by a judge, the companies and owners would “resolve” the allegations, meaning they wouldn’t face criminal charges in the matter and couldn’t be taken to court for any of the alleged actions in the settlement. However, the attorney general’s office said it would be keeping an eye on any construction firms operated by Pariychuk and Synychak, who are required to disclose any other firms they work for or operate as part of the agreement.