Investigation by the Maintenance Cooperation Trust Fund leads to a $20,000 citation of non-compliant businesses and property owners for registry violations
SAN DIEGO — An investigation of janitorial companies by the Maintenance Cooperation Trust Fund (MCTF) and investigation by the California Labor Commissioner’s office has revealed five San Diego and Southern California janitorial and property management companies violated the Property Service Workers Protection Act for failure to register with the state.
Avant Services, a primary employer and janitorial services business was cited the maximum amount of $10,000 and its four clients, Longfellow Property Management Services, Regent Properties, San Diego Sorrento Tech 1, San Diego Sorrento Tech 2, and San Diego Sorrento Tech 3, were cited $2,000 each for not ensuring that Avant Services was registered with the state.
The MCTF investigates wage theft and labor violations that impact janitors and helps bring non-compliant businesses out of the shadows of the underground economy.
Yardenna Aaron, the Executive Director of the Maintenance Cooperation Trust Fund, saw the investigation and citation as a positive step towards ensuring transparency of unscrupulous employers and greater accountability of clients that subcontract janitorial services.
“The California Labor Commissioner’s office investigation sends a signal to businesses that employ janitors, to do right by these essential workers who have helped keep California’s economic engine running. This citation helps uphold the standards that all janitorial businesses, building owners, and property managers should meet, whether they are a large corporation or a lesser-known subcontractor,” said Aaron.
Labor advocates and watchdog groups like the Maintenance Cooperation Trust Fund have documented labor violations that set back essential workers who have been key to keeping office buildings open and the economy afloat.
The Property Service Workers Protection Act, or AB 1978, requires janitorial services companies to register with the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement and meet conditions like completing sexual harassment and violence prevention trainings, a critical safeguard for women in non-unionized workplaces where harassment is prevalent. Businesses that are responsible for meeting this requirement must also attest to whether the training was provided by a peer workers organization.
Under California’s labor code, an employer must comply with all registration requirements, and janitorial services that fail to register are subject to fines. Under the same law, subcontractors can also be held accountable for registry violations.
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About the Maintenance Cooperation Trust Fund The MCTF is a California statewide watchdog organization whose mission is to abolish illegal and unfair business practices in the janitorial industry. The MCTF investigates allegations of employment law violations and partners with local, state, and federal enforcement agencies to hold unscrupulous contractors accountable.