Attorney General James Delivers $1.4 Million to New York City Construction Workers Whose Rights Were Violated

NEW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced a $1.5 million settlement with Alba Services, Inc., its owner Andrew Horan, and a network of related New York City construction and demolition companies (collectively, Alba) for repeatedly violating state workers’ compensation laws, retaliating against injured workers, and failing to address sexual harassment in the workplace. A wide-ranging investigation by the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) uncovered unlawful practices dating back nearly a decade and impacting more than 700 workers. Under the terms of the settlement, Alba must pay $1.4 million in restitution to current and former Alba employees and adopt sweeping reforms to comply with New York’s labor and human rights laws. In addition, Alba must pay $100,000 for a settlement administrator.

“For nearly a decade, Alba silenced injured workers, manipulated insurance costs, and allowed a culture of harassment to fester on its worksites,” said Attorney General James. “Today, I am proud to deliver $1.4 million to workers harmed by this misconduct. We have made sure that Alba can no longer threaten, intimidate, or exploit its workforce. My office will never allow companies to cheat workers out of their rights or create hostile workplaces that endanger their safety and dignity.”

The OAG launched an investigation in 2022 after a referral from Construction & General Building Laborers’ Local 79. Following a review of more than 60,000 pages of documents and dozens of witness interviews, OAG found that between 2016 and 2024, Alba failed to report hundreds of workplace injuries to the Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) as required by law and explicitly instructed employees not to file eligible claims. Of the injuries Alba was legally required to report, OAG determined that the company reported less than half. By keeping claims artificially low, Alba reduced its insurance costs and gained an unfair advantage over competitors.

Alba retaliated against employees who sought to file claims through harassment, threats, and financial incentives to stay silent. On at least two occasions, the company posted flyers publicly naming workers who had filed claims, accusing them of fraud and offering $5,000 for information leading to their arrests. Andrew Horan would also send text messages to his foremen unlawfully exposing the workers’ names and offering cash rewards for information about them. The OAG documented at least 60 instances in which Alba unlawfully disclosed workers’ names.

The investigation further revealed that Alba would sometimes interfere with medical treatment by sending company representatives to accompany injured workers to urgent care centers or hospitals and misrepresent how and where the injury occurred. Alba directed its workers to specific clinics it had agreements with to conceal workplace injuries and block workers’ compensation claims. In some cases, the company steered employees with serious injuries to their preferred urgent care clinics, despite the employee truly needing emergency room care.

In addition, OAG found that Alba failed to prevent sexual harassment and retaliated against employees who reported misconduct. At least two workers described repeated harassment by a foreman who sent inappropriate messages, made unwanted comments on their appearance, and engaged in physical contact. When the women rejected his advances, the foreman retaliated by assigning them to more grueling work. The harassment created a hostile environment for the targeted employees and contributed to a culture in which male colleagues bullied or ridiculed women seen as associated with the foreman. When one worker attempted to report the harassment, her hours were cut until she was ultimately removed from the schedule. As part of today’s settlement, Alba is required to terminate the foreman’s employment and adopt comprehensive anti-harassment policies and training to ensure workers are protected in the future.

Alba’s misconduct disproportionately harmed immigrant and non-union workers, many of whom reported intimidation and fear of retaliation when injured. By suppressing claims and discouraging employees from seeking benefits, Alba both cheated its workers and manipulated insurance premiums to cut costs.

As a result of the investigation, Attorney General James is requiring Alba to pay $1.4 million in restitution to the more than 700 employees injured between 2016 and 2024. Alba will pay an additional $100,000 for an independent settlement administrator. Eligible workers will be able to file claims through the settlement administrator. The fund will provide meaningful compensation to individuals who may have lost wages, faced medical expenses, had delayed medical treatment, been deterred from filing a workers’ compensation claim, or endured retaliation after workplace injuries. Any funds not used for administration will be redirected to maximize payments to affected workers, ensuring that every possible dollar goes to the workers Alba harmed.

Alba must also change its business practices to end these abuses. The company is required to accurately report all workplace injuries, stop retaliating against injured workers, and end interference with medical treatment or claims. It must establish and enforce robust sexual harassment prevention policies, conduct mandatory biannual trainings in English, Spanish, and Russian, and submit to three years of oversight by OAG, with the option to extend monitoring to six years if violations persist. Alba must also file biannual reports to OAG documenting compliance with workers’ compensation and human rights laws.

“Alba Services and their family of companies played the system for years while hard-working demolition workers struggled,” said Anthony Vita, Business Manager, Construction and General Building Laborers Local 79. “This settlement isn’t just about Alba, it is about non-union workers throughout the City who suffer under similar circumstances. This is an important step in leveling the playing field for responsible contractors. We appreciate Attorney General Letitia James' commitment to justice for all workers and thank her team for their hard work.” 

“This settlement makes one thing clear: no employer is above the law. Exploiting and retaliating against workers will never be tolerated in New York,” said Brendan Griffith, President of the NYC Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO. “We commend Attorney General Letitia James for her fearless commitment to justice and thank our brothers and sisters at Local 79 for bringing these abuses to light. Nearly a thousand workers were silenced and mistreated, and today they are seen, heard, and vindicated. Accountability like this reminds every employer that when you harm workers, you answer to all of us.”

“Too often, unscrupulous contractors undermine the system and take advantage of vulnerable workers who are simply trying to support their families and pursue the middle class. And many times, they face little to no consequences for these transgressions,” said Gary LaBarbera, President of the New York State Building Trades. “But today represents an instance of accountability and justice for hundreds of tradesmen and tradeswomen harmed by Alba's misconduct. We applaud Attorney General James for standing up for these workers and setting a precedent that abusive business practices will not be tolerated. All hardworking New Yorkers deserve to pursue their careers in a dignified and safe environment that equips them to not only make ends meet but lead fulfilling lives.”

“For years I struggled working for Alba services, I didn’t think there was a place to turn,” said a former Alba employee. “Today, Attorney General James sent a message that demolitionistas deserve justice.”

“I want to thank Attorney General Letitia James for standing up for us,” said a former Alba employee. “Not just for me but for all the workers left at Alba who now know that rights will be protected."

Attorney General James encourages New Yorkers who believe they have been victims of labor law violations or workplace sexual harassment to contact the OAG by filing a confidential complaint online or calling (212) 416-8700.

The OAG thanks the Workers’ Compensation Board for its assistance in the investigation.

This case is the latest in Attorney General James’ efforts to combat exploitative labor practices. In July, Attorney General James secured $148,000 for union workers denied paid sick leave, and in June, Attorney General James delivered $400,000 to underpaid New York City school security guards. In May, Attorney General James secured over $660,000 for health care workers who were recruited from abroad and coerced into exploitative contracts. In March, Attorney General James secured $750,000 and critical reforms to address sexual harassment and discrimination at Con Ed. In February, Attorney General James secured $16.75 million from DoorDash for cheating its delivery workers out of tips, and in January, Attorney General James recovered $1.1 million for Rikers Island cleaners cheated out of fair pay. In December 2024, Attorney General James recovered $4 million in withheld tips for former Drizly alcohol delivery workers. In September 2024, Attorney General James secured $17 million from two home health agencies for cheating its workers in a landmark wage parity agreement and returned $750,000 in stolen wages to employees of cell phone company Best Wireless. In November 2023, Attorney General James recovered $328 million for Uber and Lyft drivers whose earnings were shortchanged for years.

This matter was handled by Assistant Attorneys General Donya Fernandez and Abigail Ramos, Workers’ Compensation Section Chief Alison Kent Friedman, Social Justice Coordinator Francisca Montana, and Auditor Investigator Erica Ciccarelli, under the supervision of Labor Bureau Chief Karen Cacace and Deputy Bureau Chief Young Lee. The Labor Bureau is a part of the Division for Social Justice, which is led by Chief Deputy Attorney General Meghan Faux and overseen by First Deputy Attorney General Jennifer Levy.