OAR 812-004-1340: Form of Complaints, Pre-Complaint Notice

(1) Except for complaints initiated by wage claims filed with BOLI pursuant to Oregon Laws 2019, chapter 444, a complaint must be submitted on a complaint form provided by the agency. The agency may require the use of the most recent revision of the complaint form. (2) The complainant must submit the following information on or with the complaint form required under section (1) of this rule if applicable: (a) The name, address and telephone number of the complainant; (b) The name, address, telephone number and license number of the respondent; (c) The amount, if known at the time the complaint is filed, that the complainant alleges is due from the respondent after crediting payments, offsets and counterclaims in favor of the licensee to which the complainant agrees; (d) Identification of the type of complaint; (e) The date on which the contract was entered into; (f) If the contract was in writing, a copy of the contract, including all relevant attachments, if any; (g) The location of the work at issue in the complaint, described by a postal address or other description sufficient to locate the work site on a map and on the ground; (h) The beginning and ending date of the work or invoices; (i) Payments, offsets and counterclaims of the respondent, if known; (j) Whether the project involves work on a residential, small commercial or large commercial structure; (k) A certification by the complainant that the information provided on the complaint form is true; (l) If a court judgment or judgment based on an arbitration award is the basis for the complaint, a copy of the judgment, arbitration award, the original complaint and any answers or counter-suits related to the parties to the complaint filed in the court action or arbitration; (m) Documents described in section (9) of this rule that are related to the pre-complaint notice requirement in ORS 701.133. (n) Additional information required under sections (3) through (8) of this rule. (3) A subcontractor complaint must include copies of each original invoice relating to the complaint. (4) Except for complaints initiated by wage claims filed with BOLI pursuant to Oregon Laws 2019, chapter 444, an employee complaint must include evidence that an employee worked for a contractor and evidence of the amount of unpaid wages or benefits. Evidence may include: (a) Time cards; (b) Paycheck stubs; (c) W-4 forms; or (d) A sworn affidavit or written declaration under perjury of a third-person stating facts that indicate the employee worked for the contractor. A written declaration under perjury must contain the following statement, “I hereby declare that the above statement is true to the best of my knowledge and belief, and that I understand it is made for use as evidence in court and is subject to penalty for perjury.” (5) An employee trust complaint must include the name of each employee that is the subject of the complaint, the dates that employee worked without payment of employee benefits and the following information for each date and employee: (a) The hours worked without payment of employee benefits; (b) The amount of the unpaid benefits; (c) The address of the job site where the employee worked; and (d) Whether the structure at the job site is a residential structure, small commercial structure or large commercial structure. (6) A construction lien complaint must include evidence that the complainant paid the primary contractor, a copy of the notice of right to lien, a copy of the lien bearing the county recorder’s stamp and signature, a copy of each invoice or billing constituting the basis of the lien, a copy of the ledger sheet or other accounting of invoices from the lienor, if applicable, and any foreclosure documents. (7) A material complaint must include recapitulation of the indebtedness showing the job site address, the date of each invoice, each invoice number, each invoice amount and a copy of each original invoice relating to the complaint. (8) A complaint involving negligent or improper work must include a list of the alleged negligent or improper work. A complaint involving a breach of contract must describe the nature of the breach of contract. (9) Except for complaints initiated by wage claims filed with BOLI pursuant to Oregon Laws 2019, chapter 444, a complaint must include one of the following: (a) A copy of the pre-complaint notice required under ORS 701.133 and of the certified or registered mail receipt for the pre-complaint notice; or (b) Written evidence that the respondent had actual notice of the dispute that is the subject of the complaint at least 30 days before the complainant filed the complaint. The agency will only accept evidence under this subsection (9)(b) if it is in one of the following forms: (A) A return receipt signed by the respondent indicating receipt of a notice of intent to file a complaint sent to the respondent by the complainant; or (B) A letter signed by the respondent acknowledging receipt of a notice of intent to file a complaint. (c) Written evidence that the complainant and the respondent are parties to mediation, arbitration or a court action arising from the same contract or issues that are the subject of the complaint. The agency will only accept evidence under this subsection (9)(c) if it is in one of the following forms: (A) Copies of a complaint or answer in the court action; or (B) Copies of a document that initiated the mediation or arbitration. (d) Evidence that the complainant and the respondent are parties to another complaint filed with the agency arising from the same contract or issues that are the subject of the complaint. (10) Except as provided in subsections (9)(c) and (9)(d), the agency may not accept a statement by the complainant alleging that the respondent had actual knowledge of the dispute as written evidence required under section (9) of this rule. (11) Except for complaints initiated by wage claims filed with BOLI pursuant to Oregon Laws 2019, chapter 444, the completed complaint form must be signed by the complainant or an agent of the complainant. (12) A complaint form submitted to the agency that does not comply with the requirements of this rule is subject to OAR 812-004-1350.