(a) (1) For contracts entered into between January 1, 2018, and December 31, 2021, inclusive, a direct contractor making or taking a contract in the state for the erection, construction, alteration, or repair of a building, structure, or other private work, shall assume, and is liable for, any debt owed to a wage claimant or third party on the wage claimantâs behalf, incurred by a subcontractor at any tier acting under, by, or for the direct contractor for the wage claimantâs performance of labor included in the subject of the contract between the direct contractor and the owner. (2) The direct contractorâs liability under this section shall extend only to any unpaid wage, fringe or other benefit payment or contribution, including interest owed but shall not extend to penalties or liquidated damages. (3) A direct contractor or any other person shall not evade, or commit any act that negates, the requirements of this section. This section does not prohibit a direct contractor or subcontractor at any tier from establishing by contract or enforcing any otherwise lawful remedies against a subcontractor it hires for liability created by the nonpayment of wages, fringe or other benefit payments, or contributions by that subcontractor or by a subcontractor at any tier working under that subcontractor. (b) (1) The Labor Commissioner may enforce against a direct contractor the liability for unpaid wages created by subdivision (a) pursuant to Section 98 or 1197.1, or through a civil action. The direct contractorâs liability shall be limited to unpaid wages, including any interest owed. (2) A third party owed fringe or other benefit payments or contributions on a wage claimantâs behalf may bring a civil action against a direct contractor to enforce the liability created by subdivision (a). The court shall award a prevailing plaintiff in such an action its reasonable attorneyâs fees and costs, including expert witness fees. (3) A joint labor-management cooperation committee established pursuant to the federal Labor Management Cooperation Act of 1978 (29 U.S.C. Sec. 175a) may bring an action in any court of competent jurisdiction against a direct contractor or subcontractor at any tier for unpaid wages owed to a wage claimant by the direct contractor or subcontractor for the performance of private work, including unpaid wages owed by the direct contractor, pursuant to subdivision (a). The court shall award a prevailing plaintiff in such an action its reasonable attorneyâs fees and costs, including expert witness fees. Prior to commencement of an action against a direct contractor to enforce the liability created by subdivision (a), the committee shall provide the direct contractor and subcontractor that employed the wage claimant with at least 30 daysâ notice by first-class mail. The notice need only describe the general nature of the claim and shall not limit the liability of the direct contractor or preclude subsequent amendments of an action to encompass additional wage claimants employed by the subcontractor. (4) No other party may bring an action against a direct contractor to enforce the liability created by subdivision (a). (c) Unless otherwise provided by law, property of the direct contractor may be attached, after trial, for the payment of any judgment received pursuant to this section. (d) An action brought pursuant to this section shall be filed within one year of the earliest of the following: (1) Recordation of the notice of completion of the direct contract, pursuant to Section 8182 of the Civil Code. (2) Recordation of a notice of cessation of the work covered by the direct contract, pursuant to Section 8188 of the Civil Code. (3) Actual completion of the work covered by the direct contract. (e) This section does not apply to work performed by an employee of the state, a special district, a city, a county, a city and county, or any political subdivision of the state. (f) (1) Upon request by a direct contract
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