In a bit of a major freak-out this past Friday, June 28, 2024, public works contractors with Department of Industrial Relations (“DIR”) registrations expiring on June 30, 2024 were unable to renew their public works registrations. Those who had submitted checks were not receiving responses, DIR was not accepting online payments, and there was no telephone number or address to contact the DIR about the issue.
This, of course, could have been a big deal since Labor Code section 1725.5 prohibits contractors and subcontractors from bidding on, being listed in a bid, or being awarded a public works contract unless registered with the DIR.
As of this morning, the DIR has posted a “System Maintenance Notice” on its website assuring public works contractors that they “will not be penalized for any failure to comply with the public works registration or eCPR requirements as a result of technical issues which are beyond their control due to the rollout of the updated new public works contractor registration and eCPR systems”:
Word to the wise (or paranoid): You might want to take a snapshot of the DIR webpage just in case.
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