If I work for a non-union construction company that my wife owns and I am a union carpenter, can I legally work in the office as a project manager?

Get Legal Help Today

Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save

secured lock Secured with SHA-256 Encryption

If I work for a non-union construction company that my wife owns and I am a union carpenter, can I legally work in the office as a project manager?

I received a letter from my union being brought up on charges saying I defrauded them by owning a non union company. I personally do not own the company my wife does. I was told at a trial that I could be fined $20,000 to $50,000 for defrauding the union. Can I be held responsible for working for my wife as a project manager if I didn’t know working in a office was a rule breaker. I was also told that if I pay for the bond ($10,000) and sign a labor agreement they would not press charges. Also, I have not payed does in at least 6 months.

Asked on July 31, 2012 under Employment Labor Law, Illinois

Answers:

SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney

Answered 12 years ago | Contributor

Speak with an attorney about your situation, and bring copies of all union agreements, rules, correspondence with the union, paperwork you've filled out, etc. The law does not itself make owning a non-union company illegal if you are in a union. However, any agreement you have entered into which bars that would be enforceable, so the first issue is, what restrictions are contained in any agreements, contracts, etc. to which you are a party. The second issue is, what have you said, or represented to the union, and what did they do based on that? If you ever represented to them that you did not have an ownership interst in a non-union company, and based on that, they gave you something of value (or even allowed you in the union, if they ordinarily would not in that case), then depending in the circumstaces, it is possible this would be considered fraud. Therefore, you need to review the situation, all documents, and all correspondence in detail with an attorney. Good luck.


IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.

Get Legal Help Today

Find the right lawyer for your legal issue.

secured lock Secured with SHA-256 Encryption