NJDOL Stop-Work Order Flags Wage and Registration Violations on South Bound Brook Project

On October 16, 2026, investigators from the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development (NJDOL) Division of Wage and Hour Compliance issued a stop-work order to 3 J’s Masonry Corp., a Waldwick, New Jersey subcontractor performing concrete decking and rebar installation at the South Bound Brook Public Safety Building and Police Department project. NJDOL announced the action on October 23. The order applies to work on a public-works construction project and affects six workers. The agency cited multiple labor-compliance issues, including failure to pay prevailing wage, failure to submit certified payroll to the public body, failure to register, unpaid or late wages, improper employee and construction-worker classification, and failure to pay minimum wage.

The contracting structure makes the issue relevant beyond the cited subcontractor. 3 J’s Masonry Corp. was hired by subcontractor Suliman Construction LLC of Clifton, while G. Meyer Group Inc. of Brielle is the project’s primary contractor. A stop-work order can interrupt the affected scope and place schedule coordination, subcontractor oversight, and labor-compliance controls under scrutiny. The source does not specify the duration of the stoppage or quantify a project delay, but the action creates potential schedule and cost exposure for the project team and the public entity.

NJDOL said stop-work orders are used to halt work being performed in a manner that exploits workers or otherwise violates state laws and regulations. The department has issued 234 stop-work orders since these enforcement powers were expanded in July 2019. Assistant Commissioner for Wage and Hour Compliance Joseph Petrecca said, “Public works projects should set the standard for fair labor practices, not undermine them.” He added that shortchanging workers harms families, compromises the integrity of public projects, and gives noncompliant contractors an unfair advantage over law-abiding firms. For government buyers and primes, the case underscores that labor compliance is both a workforce-protection requirement and a project-delivery risk.

The order may be appealed, and NJDOL must schedule a hearing within seven days after an employer appeals. The department also said it continues to monitor locations where stop-work orders have been issued and may assess $5,000 per day in civil penalties against an employer conducting business in violation of an order. The order may be lifted when any remaining back wages and penalties are paid and related issues are resolved. NJDOL advises government agencies and other public entities to consult its searchable registered public-works-contractor record before hiring. The agency notes that registered contractors are also required to participate in Registered Apprenticeship programs, linking registration checks to both compliance screening and workforce training obligations.

• NJDOL issued the order on October 16, 2026, covering 3 J’s Masonry Corp.’s work at the South Bound Brook Public Safety Building and Police Department.
• The cited work involved concrete decking and rebar installation; the source identifies six affected workers.
• Alleged violations include prevailing-wage and minimum-wage failures, unpaid or late wages, missing certified payroll, registration issues, and worker misclassification.
• 3 J’s Masonry Corp. was hired by Suliman Construction LLC; G. Meyer Group Inc. is identified as the primary contractor.
• Employers conducting business in violation of the order may face civil penalties of $5,000 per day.
• An employer may appeal; NJDOL must schedule a hearing within seven days of an appeal.
• The order may be lifted after remaining back wages and penalties are paid and related compliance issues are resolved.
• Public agencies should check NJDOL’s searchable registered public-works-contractor list before hiring; NJDOL says registered contractors must participate in Registered Apprenticeship programs.
• Since its stop-work enforcement powers expanded in July 2019, NJDOL has issued 234 stop-work orders.
• Primes and subcontractors can reduce disruption risk by checking registration, certified payroll submissions, wage rates and timeliness, and worker classifications throughout performance.