State Senator David Niezgodski (D-South Bend) filed four bills this session aimed at protecting workers across the state. Senate Bill (SB) 51 would prevent any company that moves a call center to a foreign country from receiving tax payer money in the form of tax credits, grants or loans. SB 52 would reestablish the prevailing wage, commonly known as the common construction wage, which was repealed by the General Assembly in 2015.

“SB 51 will prevent tax payer dollars from supporting companies that funnel jobs away from our country,” Sen. Niezgodski said. “Hoosiers work too hard for their money to see it used to fill the coffers of companies that take jobs away from themselves and their neighbors.”

Sen. Niezgodski also introduced SB 308 which reinstates unemployment benefits for workers in the education sector. Sen. Niezgodski’s legislation SB 309 would create a system to report when companies classify their employees as independent contractors in order to avoid paying payroll taxes and benefits, as well as levy fines when employers are not in compliance with state laws.

“When employers purposely misclassify their employees as independent contractors, they are shortchanging taxpayers and workers,” Sen. Niezgodski said. “If my decades of experience running a business has taught me anything, it is the importance of treating employees well and providing them with the benefits they deserve. The State of Indiana and its workers cannot afford to keep missing out on lost payroll tax dollars.”

SB 51, SB 52 and SB 308 all await a hearing in the Senate Committee on Pensions and Labor. SB 309 is awaiting a hearing in the Senate Tax and Fiscal Policy Committee