Washington Lawyers’ Committee and Murphy Anderson Announce Lawsuit Against Whiting-Turner and Krick Plumbing & Heating in Wage Theft Case
Washington, DC – On February 11, 2025, the Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs and Murphy Anderson PLLC filed a wage theft lawsuit in DC Superior Court on behalf of seven construction workers against The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company and Krick Plumbing & Heating Co., Inc. Plaintiffs were employed in constructing a mixed-use, government-funded development consisting of fifty affordable apartment units and a 6,000 square-foot arts center. The workers, who were hired to install sheet metal and plumbing on the project, allege that they were not paid the required wages, not paid correctly for overtime work, and improperly classified as independent contractors rather than employees. DC law makes general and intermediate contractors liable for lower-tier contractors’ violations of certain wage laws.
“Wage theft is unfortunately common in the construction industry,” says Maddy Gates, associate counsel at the Washington Lawyers’ Committee and co-counsel for the workers. “Employees must be fully compensated for all hours worked.”
Combatting wage theft is a priority for the WLC Workers’ Rights team. Wage theft is a contributing factor to the racial income gap. Black and Latino workers are more likely to experience wage theft, especially in industries that are already marked by lower hourly salaries, unpredictable hours, and poorer working conditions. The DMV has high levels of job segregation, with workers of color likely to hold occupations that require manual labor and pay lower wages. Immigrant workers are particularly vulnerable to wage theft and other workplace violations.
The Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs works to create legal, economic, and social equity through litigation, client and public education and public policy advocacy. While we fight discrimination against all people, we recognize the central role that current and historic race discrimination plays in sustaining inequity and recognize the critical importance of identifying, exposing, combatting, and dismantling the systems that sustain racial oppression.
Murphy Anderson PLLC is a Washington D.C.-based law firm representing workers, whistleblowers, and unions.