MONTEREY – On April 18, 2017 the Monterey County District Attorney announced that Fernando Sanchez pleaded guilty  to one misdemeanor count of Failure to Secure Workers’ Compensation insurance and admitted he had previously been convicted of the same offense.

Sanchez was placed on three years’ probation, ordered to serve 40 days in county jail and to pay a $10,000 fine with $5,000 suspended during the term of probation. The fine is paid to the Uninsured Employers Fund. Sanchez  can complete his jail time by serving in  a work alternative program. Sanchez was also ordered to maintain workers’ compensation insurance for all employees. Sanchez appeared in court with his Carmel business license and proof of workers’ compensation insurance.

On January 5, 2017, a Carmel code compliance officer provided a tip to the Contractors State License Board [CSLB] Enforcement Representative Zachary Zeidman that Sanchez was trimming trees and had an employee present at the site working. Sanchez is a licensed contractor but had filed an “exempt” status with CSLB stating he was not subject to the law as he did not have any employees. At the time of his filing for exempt status he did not have employees but later hired employees without securing workers’ compensation insurance.

Due to this second conviction, Sanchez was advised in court that a third conviction carries a mandatory fine of $50,000.

“Workers’ compensation insurance is necessary to protect workers, business owners and those who hire workers to perform jobs on their property,” said California Statewide Law Enforcement Association (CSLEA) President Alan Barcelona.  “Enforcement representatives within CSLB work year-round checking in on business owners to be sure they are complying with this and other laws.”